


Reality is What we Make It

by gloryasme



Category: Brooklyn Nine-Nine (TV), Daredevil (TV), Jessica Jones (TV), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Defenders (Marvel TV)
Genre: BAMF Bruce Banner, BAMF Michelle Jones, Background Poly, Bisexual Michelle Jones, Brother-Sister Relationships, Canon Temporary Character Death, F/M, Fake Character Death, Families of Choice, Flash Thompson Redemption, Harley Keener & Peter Parker Friendship, Mother-Son Relationship, Multi, Ned Leeds is a Good Bro, Peter Parker & Shuri Friendship, Peter Parker Can Wield Mjolnir, Peter Parker-centric, Pietro Maximoff Lives, Protective Natasha Romanov, Protective Pietro Maximoff, SpiderWitch, Trans Peter Parker, jessica jones is michelle's mother, peter and mj are friends, slow burn spiderwitch, spiderwitch endgame
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-02
Updated: 2019-10-31
Packaged: 2020-10-04 02:00:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 44
Words: 50,022
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20463182
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gloryasme/pseuds/gloryasme
Summary: When Mary and Richard Parker died, they had no intermediate family to take care of their daughter. Family friend Natasha Romanoff steps up to the challenge herself.Nine years later and their daughter (now their son) is doing something that it totally gonna get him grounded. It was totally worth it though.(I don't hate Aunt May or Uncle Ben I promise.)





	1. Age of Ultron (part 1)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Meet and Greet

“Honey, I’m home!” A familiar voice called.

  
  
Lila and Cooper perked up and Peter mouthed ‘o’.

  
  
“Who could that be?” He asked.

  
  
“Daddy!” the pair of kids squealed, standing and bolting towards the door. Peter followed them at a slower pace. Clint picked Lila up and ruffled Cooper’s hair as he said hi. Peter beamed when he saw his mother. He also nearly had a heart attack when he was the rest of the GODDAMN AVENGERS, but you know, that’s not important.

  
  
“These are… smaller agents.” Tony Stark says to Thor, eyeing the kids carefully.

  
“Эй, ребенок паук, какие было Это лайк вместе с тетенька Laura?” Natasha cooed as she hugged Peter, pretending the wound in her side wasn’t there.

  
“оно было здорово.” Peter replied, kissing her cheek.

  
“Aunty Nat!” Lila runs up to Natasha and gets a hug as well.

  
“Sorry for barging in on you.” Captain Rogers says.

  
  
“Yeah, we would have called ahead, but we were busy having no idea that you existed.” Mr Stark added.

  
  
“Yeah, well, Fury helped me set this up when I joined. He kept it off SHIELD's files, I'd like to keep it that way. I figure it's a good place to lay low.” Clint replied.

  
  
“Honey.” Laura sighed.

  
  
“I’ve missed you,” Natasha says, hugging Laura. “How’s little Natasha, huh?” she asks, touching Laura’s swollen stomach.

  
“She's…Nathaniel.” Laura replied hesitantly. Natasha leaned down to Laura’s stomach.

  
“Traitor.”

  
Thor leaves the house followed by Captain Rogers.

“Я скучал по тебе, мама паук.” Peter says, hugging Natasha again and burying his face into the crook of her neck. He had to lean down a little to do that though.

  
  
“Я тоже скучал по тебе, малыш паук.” Natasha replied, kissing his forehead and holding Peter close. He’d always been scared she wouldn’t come back, so he was relieved when he saw her.

  
  
“I’m sorry what’s… this?” Dr Banner referred to Natasha and Peter.

  
“Peter is my son,” Natasha replied, staring Banner directly in the eye. “Say hello, Peter.”

  
  
“Привет, Dr Banner,” Peter says, keeping his cool. Him fanboying would just make the situation worse.

  
  
“Son? You have a kid? Jeez, how old is he?” Stark asks, eyeing Peter up and down.

  
  
“I’m fourteen, Mr Stark,” Peter replied, keeping steady eye contact with the man.

  
  
“Ah, he speaks English as well.” Dr Banner cringed at his own statement.

  
  
“That I do.” Peter snickered.

  
  
“I’m gonna go see what Cap’s doin' .” Banner turned and strode out the front door.

  
  
“I’m gonna go-.” Banner’s eyes flicked to Clint and Laura. “Can I have a shower?”

  
  
“Yeah. Spare bedroom down the hall.” Clint says, pointing stairs.

  
  
“Thanks.” The doctor walked away.

  
  
“You like him~” Peter cooed at his mother.

  
“Yes I do, Peter,” Natasha replied.

  
“You know… it’s not fun when you play along with the joke.”

  
  
“Exactly.”

  
  
Peter rolled his eyes and rounded up Lila and Cooper to play outside.

* * *

  
“Ultron took you folks out of play to buy himself time.” Fury was saying. Peter would’ve heard him anyway so he didn’t bother pretending he wasn’t listening. He was sitting right beside Natasha. “My contacts all say he’s building something.”

  
  
Lila handed Natasha a painting of a butterfly.

  
  
“The amount of vibranium he made off with, I don’t think it’s just one thing,” Fury says.

  
  
“What about Ultron himself?” Captain Rogers asked, leaning against the archway between the dining room and the living room.

  
  
“Oh, he’s easy to track, he’s everywhere.” Fury replies. “That guy’s multiplying faster than a Catholic rabbit. Still doesn’t help us get an angle on any of his plans though.”

  
  
“Is he still going after launch codes?” Stark asked, throwing darts.

  
  
“Yes he is, but he’s not making any headway.” Fury seemed to be making a sandwich.

  
  
“I cracked the Pentagon’s firewall in high school on a dare,” Stark replied.

  
  
“Well, I contacted our friends and NEXUS about that.” Fury mused.

  
  
“NEXUS?” Captain Rogers asked.

  
  
“It's the world internet hub in Oslo, every byte of data flows through there. Fastest access on earth.” Peter explains.

  
  
“Yeah.” Banner murmurs.

  
  
“So what'd they say?” Clint asked.

  
  
“He's fixated on the missiles, but the codes are constantly being changed.” Fury replied.

  
  
“By whom?” Stark inquired, pulling the darts from the board. A dart glides past Stark’s face and lands in the bullseye. He glares at Clint.

  
  
“Parties Unknown.” Fury responded.

  
  
“Do we have an ally?” Natasha asked.

  
  
“Ultron's got an enemy, that's not the same thing. Still, I'd pay folding money to know who it is.” Fury replied.

  
  
“I might need to visit Oslo, find our ‘unknown’.” Stark muses.

  
  
“Well, this is good times, boss, but I was kind of hoping when I saw you, you'd have more than that.” Natasha quips.

  
  
“I do, I have you. Back in the day, I had eyes everywhere, ears everywhere else. Here we all are, back on earth, with nothing but our wit, and our will to save the world. Ultron says the Avengers are the only thing between him and his mission. And whether or not he admits it, his mission is global destruction. All this-.” He gestured to the kitchen around him. “Laid out in a grave. So stand. Outwit the platinum bastard.” Fury monologues, taking a seat at the head of the table Natasha and Peter sat at.

  
  
“Steve doesn't like that kind of talk,” Natasha replies innocently.

  
  
“You know what, Romanoff?” Captain Rogers challenges and the Russian smirks at him.

  
  
“So what does he want?” Fury asked.

  
  
“To become better. Better than us. He keeps building bodies.” Captain Rogers replies.

  
  
“Person bodies. The human form is inefficient, biologically speaking, we're outmoded. But he keeps coming back to it.” Stark muses.

  
  
“When you two programmed him to protect the human race, you amazingly failed.” Natasha sneers.

  
  
“They don't need to be protected, they need to evolve,” Banner says, looking at the painting Lila gave Natasha. “Ultron's going to evolve.”

  
  
“How?” Fury asked.

  
“Has anyone been in contact with Helen Cho?”

* * *

  
“Stay safe, мама,” Peter says, nuzzling protectively into Natasha.

  
  
“Always, ребенок паук,” Natasha replies, pressing her lips to Peter’s forehead.

  
  
Natasha boarded onto the Quinjet and Peter’s stomach churned. He did NOT have a good idea, but he was going to go through with it anyways.

  
  
…

Yeah. Peter was sure this was a bad idea. But there’s literally no going back now so may as well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Translation:  
Эй, ребенок паук, какие было Это лайк вместе с тетенька Laura - Hey, baby spider, what was it like with Aunt Laura?  
оно было здорово - It was great  
Я скучал по тебе, мама паук - I missed you, mama spider  
Я тоже скучал по тебе, малыш паук - I missed you too, baby spider  
Привет - Hello  
мама - mama  
ребенок паук - baby spider


	2. Age of Ultron (part 2)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ~Don't be suspicious, don't be suspicious, don't be suspicious, don't be suspicious~

When the Quinjet dropped Captain Rogers off at Dr Cho’s lab, Peter jumped and stuck to a wall via spider powers. 

“Two minutes. Stay close.” Rogers says into his earpiece. Peter followed him discretely, crawling on the walls and roof to avoid detection. “Dr Cho!” Peter barely stifled a gasp when Rogers leant down and attended to a wounded scientist.

“He's uploading himself into the body.” She says weakly.

“Where?”

“The real power is inside the Cradle. The gem, its power is uncontainable. You can't just blow it up. You have to get the Cradle to Stark.” Cho says.

“First I have to find it,” Steve replies.

“Go.” Cho ushers. Steve runs and talks into his coms again.

“Did you guys copy that?”

Peter’s eyes lingered on the poor Doctor, but it was already too late. He silently scrambled to catch up with Rogers. The captain was walking up a ladder when he spoke up again into the earpiece.

“Negative! If that truck crashes, the gem could level the city. We need to draw out Ultron.”

Peter cursed the soldier out under his breath as he jumped from the bridge he stood on onto a passing truck. He decided to follow from afar, taking his own leap onto a car a few paces behind and jumping between vehicles to keep the distance.

Peter watched the back door be lasted open and a tall metal figure. Ultron no doubt. Peter retched. Roger swung by via door and it was blasted again, he flew up this time and landed on the truck ramp that unfolded due to the lack of doors.

“Well, he’s definitely unhappy, I’m gonna try and keep that way.” Rogers grunts, Peter just heard him over the wind. Rogers struggled up the ramp and was blasted into the windshield of the car behind the truck. Rogers jumped from the car onto a passing truck (not the Ultron truck) and used it to swing onto the truck with the cradle in it. Ultron rose up behind him.

“You know what’s in that cradle?” he asked, blasting at Rogers who dodged it with his hammer. “The power to make real change, and that terrifies you.”

“I wouldn’t call it a comfort,” Rogers replied, tossing his shield. Ultron flew into the air and continued to shoot orange beams of energy at the captain. The shield came back and Rogers threw it again. And again, this time lodging it into Ultron’s chest.

“Stop it!” the robot hissed, seemingly unaffected by the shield as he tossed it onto the road blasted Rogers again. He fell onto the windshield off the truck and had to swing off to avoid being punched by the driving AI.

Peter reacted without thinking all that much. He ran forwards amongst the car rooftops to get to the shield. A red-haired lady on a motorcycle caught his attention and he  _ knew _ he was fucked.

“I’m always picking up after you boys.” Natasha sighed, picking up the shield and eyeing Peter’s frame. His cover was blown so no use trying to hide anymore now anyway. “Which way?” she asked into her coms. After a second she veered right (presumably under Clint’s guidance) and Peter shot a web and a nearby building and followed. She narrowly avoided hitting a few civilians and shops as she passed them by.

Ultron was holding Roger’s over the edge of the truck by his neck when Peter saw them again, he landed on the roof. Natasha swerved underneath the truck and tossed Captain’s shield back. He used it to knock Ultron in the face and the robot blasted a piece of bitumen in Natasha’s path.

Peter webbed it and tugged it out of her way. But Natasha still settled for a U-turn and headed up a flight of stairs instead. Right, the Cradle. The guards protecting the Cradle. Ultron blasted at Roger’s and he fell onto the windshield (again!) of yet another car. Peter webbed Ultron from behind.

“You humans are so annoying.” Ultron hissed, tearing the webbing away and blasting at Peter. Steve jumped back onto the truck and knocked Ultron over the head with the shield. For some reason, this started a fistfight between two superhumans and a robot.

Clint, piloting the Quinjet, blasted at Ultron from the front of the truck, Captain and Peter using the shield as a safe keep for the moment. 

“Captain America.” The super soldier said, holding a hand out to Peter. The teen supposed the man didn’t recognise him.

“Spider-man,” Peter replied, taking it and squealing internally like a little girl.

The two guards flew from their position to follow Clint as he flew away. The pair continued to fight Ultron on the STILL MOVING TRUCK as Natasha zoomed in from the side. Rogers punched Ultron off to the side of the truck and in return, he rammed Rogers into a train.

“Captain!” Peter shouts in alarm, going after him. Steve and Ultron began to fight in the train cart they smashed into. “It’s not safe!” Peter called to the civilians within the cart. “Please exit the cart to stay out of harm’s way.”

“What do you think I’ve been doing?” Rogers hissed into his earpiece, getting off of the floor and continuing to “distract” Ultron. Peter webbed the doors shut so civilians wouldn’t enter the cart again and Rogers was cornered against the train wall by Ultron. 

A blue flash suddenly shoved the metallic being away from the Captain and a red aura bent metal handrails to stop him from getting further into the cart.

“Please. Don’t do this.” Ultron says, talking to someone behind him Peter couldn’t see.

“What choice do we have?” a feminine voice replied in an accent Peter couldn’t quite place. Ultron aimed and blasted a hole straight through the front of the train, narrowly missing the three boys trapped in front of him (being Rogers, the speedy Maximoff twin and Peter). The metallic beast flew away.

“I LOST HIM!” Rogers yelled into his earpiece, jumping through the carts to get to the conductor. “He’s headed your way!”

“We need to stop the train!” Peter yelled following him. Steve nudged the conductor but she was out cold. The train wasn’t even on the tracks anymore and was destroying a lot of property. Peter shot webs out at nearby buildings and held as tight as he could, exerting all of his strength to slow the train down.

“If you have the package, get it to Stark! GO!” Roger’s yelled into his earpiece. 

The train wasn’t slowing down.

“GO!” Roger’s barked. “Civilians in our path.” He said. With a brisk nod, the speedy twin sped out the hole in the side and got to work clearing people from danger. “Can you help Spider-man stop this thing?” He asked the other twin. The train went through a wall and Steve had barely enough time to pull Peter behind the shield with him. It knocked them both across the train seats.

Wanda used her magic to pull the train to stop via the gears and Peter was quick on his feet, back to the rooftop and webbing up the train to try and slow it down. With Wanda’s assistance, it worked.

The people pooled out of the train as Peter collapsed on the rooftop. Yet he crawled to the side and slowly climbed down to meet Rogers and the twins.

“I just need a minute.” Pietro heaved.

“I’m very tempted not to give you one,” Rogers said giving Pietro a disappointed stare.

“The Cradle, did you get it?” Wanda asked.

“Stark will take care of it,” Rogers replied.

Wanda pulled back in surprise. “No, he won’t.”

“You don’t know what you’re talking about-.” Rogers sighed.

(“You hesitated.” Peter called, deciding to lay on the concrete. Pietro decided to join him. “Hey man.”

“Hey.”)

“-Stark’s not crazy.” Roger’s finished.

“He will do anything to make thing right.” Wanda reasoned. The pair stared each other down.

“Stark, come in,” Steve called over the coms. “Stark.” Wanda breathed heavily, almost hyperventilating. “Anyone on coms?”

“Ultron can’t tell the difference between saving the world and destroying it,” Wanda sneers. “Where do you think he gets that?”


	3. Age of Ultron (part 3)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Keep your friends close, and enemies closer."

“I’m gonna say this once,” Rogers growled, standing in Stark and Banner’s lab with Wanda, Pietro and Peter.

“How about ‘none-ce’.” Stark deadpans. Peter was too exhausted to chuckle.

“Shut it down!” Rogers hissed.

“Nope, not gonna happen,” Stark replied.

“You don’t know what you’re doing.” Rogers attempted to reason.

“And you do?” Banner cut in. “ _ She’s _ not in your head?” he gestured to Wanda.

“I know you’re angry.” Wanda starts.

“Oh, we’re way past that.” Banner scoffs. “I could choke the life out of you and never change a shade.”

“Banner, after everything that’s happened-”

“It’s nothing compared to what’s coming!” Stark cut in.

“You don’t know what’s in there!” Wanda hissed.

“This isn’t a game!” Rogers growled.

Pietro and Peter looked at each other as is to say; ‘now what?’ the twin gently placed the aching superhero down and ran around the room, disconnecting all the pipes and cables from the computers to the Cradle.

“No, no. Go on. What were you saying?” he asks Stark and Banner innocently. There was a gunshot through the glass below and Wanda screamed her brother’s name as he fell. Clint pressed a foot into Pietro’s leg.

“What? You didn’t see that coming?” he asks.

“I’m rerouting the upload.” Stark chatters. Rogers threw the shield, causing to bounce around and Stark harnessed the glove of his suit, firing at Rogers with it. The rest of the suit came to him and Banner grabbed Wanda in a chokehold.

“Go ahead, piss me off.” He hissed in her ear.

Rogers ran at Stark and the other returned the gestured, the power from Stark’s suit throwing them both back. Wanda used her magic to push away from Banner.

Thor broke in through the glass, diverting Wanda’s attention to him. He jumped into the Cradle and raised his hammer.

“WAIT!” Banner yelled.

Thor ignored him and used the electricity harnessed through Mjölnir to electrocute the Cradle. He pulled back and the group watched uncertainly. The lid sprung open, throwing Thor off of it in the process.

A red body sprung out of it, and slowly raised its head. It looked around, curious, and then launched itself at Thor. The god threw the body through glass panes and onto the level below. The body stopped itself right before smashing into another window where it examined the city.

Everyone was on defence, through Thor held out a hand as to say; ‘stay back’.

The AI breathed slowly, then turned back to the group, shapeshifting clothes for itself. Thor placed the Mjölnir on a table and approached it. The Avengers watched cautiously.

“I’m sorry. That was… odd. Thank you.” He, the android, muttered to Thor, copying his cape (except he made it yellow).

“Thor.” Rogers starts. “You helped create this?”

“I’ve had a vision,” Thor replied. “A whirlpool that sucks in all hope of life, and at its centre is that.” He points at the orange stone in Vision’s head.

“What? The stone?” Banner asks.

“No, the body.” Peter deadpans.

“No. Doctor Banner was correct, new person,” Thor replied. “It’s the Mind stone. It’s one of the six Infinity Stones. The greatest power in the universe; unparalleled in its destructive capabilities.”

“Then why would you bring-.”

“Because Stark is right.” Thor cut in. 

“Oh, it’s definitely the end times.” Banner sighed.

“The Avengers cannot defeat Ultron,” Thor says.

“Not alone.” The Vision adds. 

“Why does your Vision sound like JARVIS?” Rogers asked. 

“We reconfigured JARVIS’ matrix to create something new,” Stark replied walking slowly around the Vision as it did him.

“I think I’ve had my fill of new.” Rogers sighed.

“You think I’m a child of Ultron.” The Vision says, as if it could be offended. 

“You’re not?” Rogers asked.

“I’m not Ultron.” It replied. “I’m not JARVIS. I am… I am.”

Banner looked at Stark in confusion.

“I looked in your head-” Wanda speaks, walking towards the android. “-and saw annihilation.”

“Look again.”

Clint scoffs. “Her seal of approval means jack to me.” He scowls down at Wanda.

“Their powers, the horrors in our heads, Ultron himself, they all came from the Mind Stone and they’re nothing compared to what it can unleash,” Thor says. “But with it on our side-.”

“Is it?” Rogers cut in. He turned to the Vision. “Are you? On our side?”

“I don't think it’s that simple.” It replied.

“Well, it better get real simple real soon.” Clint hissed.

“I am on the side of life. Ultron isn't, he will end it all.” It replied.

“What's he waiting for?” Stark asked.

“You.”

“Where?” Banner inquired.

“Sokovia. He’s got Nat there too.” Clint replied.

“If we're wrong about you if you're the monster that Ultron made you to be...”

“What will you do?” the Vision asked, seemingly genuine. There’s a pause and it suddenly seems to understand. 

“I don't want to kill Ultron. He's unique, and he's in pain. But that pain will roll over the earth, so he must be destroyed. Every form he's built, every trace of his presence on the net, we have to act now. And not one of us can do it without the others. Maybe I am a monster. I don't think I'd know if I were one. I'm not what you are, and not what you intended. So there may be no way to make you trust me. But we need to go.” It holds up Thor’s hammer to the god and everyone stares in plain shock.

Thor takes it slowly and the Vision walks off. “Right.” He mutters, clearing his throat and following. “Well done.” He adds, patting Stark’s shoulder.

“What about me?” Peter asks. They all freeze again.

“I’m gonna be totally honest, I forgot you were here,” Stark says.

“It’s fine. But I’m coming too.”

The Avengers look amongst each other. “The Vision did say; ‘not without the others’.” Banner shrugs.

“Fine.”

“Yay,” Peter says that aloud but no one says anything.

“Three minutes,” Rogers says. “Get what you need.”


	4. Age of Ultron (part 4)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> *horrifying sounds of metal being destroyed*

“Odds are; Ultron knows we’re coming. And that’s what we signed up for. But the people of Sokovia, they didn’t. So our priority is getting them out. All they want is to live their lives in peace and that’s not gonna happen today, but we can do our best to protect them. 

And we can get the job done. We find out what Ultron’s been building, we find Romanoff, and we clear the field. Keep the fight between us. Ultron thinks we’re monsters, that we’re what’s wrong with the world. This isn’t just about beating him. It’s about whether he’s right.”

* * *

Peter swung amongst the civilians, assisting in getting the people to evacuate as the twins used their powers. He’d been given in earpiece, as had the twins, so he could hear the conversation happening over the coms.

Vibranium Ultron duplicates swarmed the sky. “Shit!” Peter cursed as he focused on  _ not _ letting the robots harm the people.

“Language.” Rogers scolded through the coms.

“дрисня.” Peter sneers.

“…Fair enough.”

Sokovia shook, buildings broke and Peter lost his balance, sliding off the side of the building he was standing on. A red aura caught him and steadied him on the ground. Wanda nodded at him and Peter nodded back as they went back to their evacuation/defend the people jobs.

“FRIDAY?” Stark chirped to the AI nervously.

_ “Sokovia’s going for a ride.” _ The AI replied.  _ “The Vibranium core has got a magnetic field, that's what's keeping the rock together.” _

_ _

“If it drops?” Stark asked.

_ “Right now the impact would kill thousands. Once it gets high enough: Global extinction.” _

“That’s not good.” Peter hissed, kicking, webbing and tossing those goddamn robots around. Because his life really did depend on it.

_ “I got airborne, heading up to the bridge.” _ FRIDAY chirped.

“Cap, you got incoming,” Stark says.

“Incoming already came in,” Rogers grunted. “Stark, you worry about bringing the city back down safely. The rest of us have one job: tear these things apart. You get hurt, hurt 'em back. You get killed,” he paused. “Walk it off.”

Peter snickered.

* * *

“Alright, we're all clear here,” Clint says over the coms.

“I’m all good here,” Peter added, kicking off a robot. He didn’t feel too bad about it. They were just robots.

“We are not clear! We are very not clear!” Rogers barked.

“Alright, coming to you,” Clint says.

Peter does just that, swinging over the building’s easy-peasy to assist Captain America and Thor; The God of Thunder. Wonderful. He was definitely going to have a heart attack after this.

“Romanoff!” Roger’s yells, tossing his shield to her. She uses it to defend against an Ultron bot then tosses it back.

“Thanks.” She replied, and then pointed directly at Peter. “YOU, on the other hand, are in a lot of trouble when we get home.”

“Yeah. I know.” Peter replied with a sigh.

“What…?” Thor asked slowly.

“Later.” Natasha waved the question off dismissively.

“The next wave's gonna hit any minute. What have you got, Stark?” Rogers asked over the coms.

“Well, nothing great. Maybe a way to blow up the city. That'll keep it from impacting the surface if you guys can get clear.” Tony’s voice replied.

“I asked for a solution, not an escape plan.”

“Impact radius is getting bigger every second. We're going to have to make a choice.”

“Cap, these people are going nowhere. If Stark finds a way to blow this rock-.”

“Not 'til everyone's safe.” Rogers cut Natasha off.

“Everyone up here versus everyone down there? There's no math there.” Peter hissed.

“I'm not leaving this rock with one civilian on it.” Rogers snapped.

“I didn't say we should leave.” Rogers and Peter turn to look at her “There's worse ways to go. Where else am I gonna get a view like this?”

“No.” Peter hissed. “No. I can’t… I can’t do that.”

“Glad you like the view, Romanoff. It's about to get better.” A familiar voice beamed. The trio perked up towards it as a large heli-carrier rose from the clouds. “Nice, right? I pulled her out of mothballs with a couple of old friends. She's dusty, but she'll do.”

“Fury, you son of a bitch.” Rogers chuckled.

“Oooh! You kiss your mother with that mouth?” Fury quipped.

“This is SHIELD?” Pietro asked, zipping up to them and placing Wanda down.

“This is what SHIELD's supposed to be.” Roger’s replied.

“This is not so bad.”

Small lifeboat like versions of the carrier branched off the bigger model and floated towards the surface of the floating city.

“Let's load 'em up.” Roger’s called.

The hero’s helped the citizens pile into the lifeboat carriers

“Alright, let's load 'em up! Alright, here we go. Here we go, let's move. Let's go, everyone!” Clint yelled.

Stark and Rhodes fight off the robots attacking the ships best they could as Stark chattered on.

“Avengers, time to work for a living.”

The Avengers and the teenagers met at the core of the Church where Thor and the Vision were.

“You good?” Pietro asked his sister.

“Yeah.” She replied.

“Romanoff? You and Banner better not be playing ‘hide the zucchini’.” Stark muttered warily over the coms.

“Ew!” Peter fake retched.

“Relax, boys. Not all of us can fly.” She joins the rest of the team. “What's the drill?”

Stark points to the Vibranium core. “This is the drill. If Ultron gets a hand on the core, we lose.”

* * *

Ultron shows up and the Avengers ready themselves.

“Is that the best you can do?” Thor asks vainly.

Ultron spreads his arms and an army of thousands of Ultron copies make themselves known.

“You had to ask.” Tony hisses.

“This is the best I can do. This is exactly what I wanted. All of you, against all of me. How could you possibly hope to stop me?” Ultron seems to purr.

“Well, like the old man said.” Stark starts. Rogers looked conspiratorially at Stark. “Together.” The hulk roared, because he was there too, and the battle began.

Thor, Stark and Vision attacked via the air. Pietro ran around faster than the eye could see. Peter swung from the rafters and the others attacked from where they stood. Protecting the vibranium centre.

Ultron attacked the Vision head-on, ramming it into Peter on the roof, but Vision retaliated by blasting the reality stone at Ultron and flying forwards. Peter shook it off and continued. The Vision got Ultron on his knees and it, assisted by Stark and Thor, blasted the being with their respective forces of energy. When they stopped, Ultron stood wobbly.

“Y’know, with the benefit of hindsight-.”

Hulk knocked the robot off his feet with a grunt before he could finish. The surrounding robots ran from him in response, so of course, the Hulk chased them.

“They’ll try to leave the city!” Thor called.

“We can’t let them, not even one.” Stark sounded out of breath. “Rhodey.”

“On it.” The voice came through over the coms. “Oh no, I didn’t say you could leave. War Machine coming at you! Right, up-.” Rhodey cut off abruptly. “Okay… what?”

“We gotta’ move out, even I can tell the air is getting thin,” Rogers commands. “You guys get to the boats; I’ll sweep for stragglers. Be right behind you.”

“What about the core?” Clint asked.

“I’ll protect it,” Wanda replied. Clint looked at her. “It’s my job.”

“I’ll stick with Wanda, just in case.” She gives Peter an offended look. “Surprise attacks are a thing.” He reasoned.

“Nat,” Clint calls. “This way.”

Steve goes off to do his thing.

Natasha looks at Peter uncertainly. “Вы уверены, ребенок паук?” Peter just stares back. Natasha sighs. “Stay safe.”

“Always.”

Natasha smiles then runs off with Clint.

Pietro enters the church, knocking away a robot with a grunt.

“Get the people on the boats,” Wanda told him.

“I’m not going to leave you here,” Pietro replied.

“We can handle this.” Wanda blasted a nearing robot. “Come back for us when everybody else is off. Not before.” Pietro grunts in annoyance. “You understand?”

“You know, I’m twelve minutes older than you,” Pietro says as if Wanda genuinely forgot.

Wanda chuckles. “Go.” Pietro zoomed off.

Wanda circled the vibranium core and Peter kept watch from the ceiling.

A few minutes past and the air suddenly grew cold. Wanda dropped to her knees and screamed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Translation:  
Вы уверены, ребенок паук - are you sure, baby spider?


	5. Age of Ultron (part 5)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> *dramatic build-up music*

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> BTW I changed Peter's age down to fourteen so he's fifteen for Homecoming
> 
> and don't worry more spider mom/son will be coming

“Wanda? WANDA!” Peter dropped from the ceiling and gripped her shoulders. “What happened?”

“Pietro.” She sobbed, angrily standing and marching in a direction.

“WHa- hey!” Peter struggled between protecting the core and chasing Wanda. He stayed with the core. He was NOT dealing with a magical and emotional stranger that could kill him. Not today.

You could say he was distracted by Wanda running off. Because he didn’t stop the broken robot in time and its hand met with the core. And Sokovia fell.

“SHIT! SHIT! SHIT! SHIT! SHIT! SHIT! SHIT!” Peter panicked. It’s not like he could shoot a web long enough to the heli-carrier. It was already too far away.

Thor flew in and gave Peter an incredulous look. “What are you still doing here?” he asked.

“Waiting for Wanda?” Peter replied.

Thor shook his head and sighed, then rose the Mjölnir to the sky. Raw lightning was drawn to the hammer and Peer flinched back, having to turn away from the bright light.

“NOW!” Peter registered Stark’s voice over the communication devices and heard Thor grunt. Mjölnir made hard contact with the core, rupturing the Sokovian earth.

“Let’s go, Spider.” Thor wrapped his bicep around Peter’s waist and hoisted them both into the air, flying away. Thor flew them up and out of the way of the debris before lowering onto a lifeboat.

“You made it.” Clint heaved. The pair turned and saw him lying sideways on a three-person chair (dickhead) and a very bloody, unconscious Pietro on the floor beside him.

“His he dead?” Thor asked curtly.

“Yes.”

“No.”

Clint and Peter answered at the same time. Thor looked amongst them confused.

“I can hear his heartbeat,” Peter says. “He’s just barely alive.”

Clint staggers to his feet in shock. “Doctor! DOCTOR!”

A man comes over seeming startled and Clint points at Pietro. The man tuts and leans down to check upon him.

“Weak. But alive.” The medic reiterated what Peter said.

Clint sagged back into the chair with relief.

“What of the other twin, though?” Thor asked.

“Right here.” Wanda slid onto the floor to look at her brother. “He’s alive.” She sobbed with relief, hunched over him.

Peter aged into the chair beside Clint and tugged off his mask.

“You’re that child,” Thor exclaims.

“Natasha’s baby.” Clint wraps his arm around Peter’s neck with a smile.

“You knew!?” Peter asked.

“ ‘Course I knew! You can’t keep a secret identity hidden from me, Peter.” Clint snickered.

Wanda sidled up beside Peter and hugged him tightly. “Thank you.” Her grips got tighter. “Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.”

“Yeah, okay, that’s great. I can’t breathe.” Peter made a gurgling noise and Wanda let go.

“Sorry.”

“It’s okay.”

“Kid.” Clint ruffled his hair. “You are so dead when Natasha sees you.”

“Where is мамa?” Peter asked.

“She’s on the carrier with Fury. She’s safe.” Clint answered.

* * *

Peter stood with Natasha in the new Avenger’s facility, their arms looped around each other’s neck. Natasha’s phone vibrated and she pulled it out, showing a video of a small baby.

“Say hi to Auntie Nat~ and to Peter.” Laura’s voice coos.

“Fat,” Natasha says with the ghost of a smile on her face. She pockets her phone as Fury speaks from  _ fucking nowhere excuse you _ !

“One of our tech boys flagged this, splashed down in the Banda Sea.” He says, walking over with an iPad. “Could be the Quinjet. But with Stark’s stealth tech, we still can’t track the damn thing.”

“Right.” Natasha’s voice cracks.

“Probably jumped out and swam to Fiji,” Fury says. “He’ll send a postcard.”

“ ’ _ Wish you were here _ ’,” Natasha calls sadly as Fury starts to leave. “You sent me to recruit him, way back when.” Fury stops and turns to Natasha. “Did you know then what was going to happen?”

Fury sighs and walks back over. “You never know. You hope for the best, then make do with what you get.” He says. “I got a great team. And a great daughter.”

Natasha gives a small smile, but then it drops. “Nothing lasts forever.”

“Trouble, Ms Romanoff.” Fury turns and walks away. “No matter who wins or loses, trouble still comes around.”

“Why is he always so cryptic? Just say ‘I love you’ like a normal person.” Peter scorns.

“Does that make him your grandpa?” Natasha chirps playfully.

Peter gasps with his eyes sparkling. “ _ Grandpa Fury _ .”

Natasha giggles, hiding her face in Peter’s hair and therefore making Peter giggle as well.

“Я люблю тебя, ребенок паук.” Natasha whispers.

“Я тоже тебя люблю, мама паук.” Peter whispers back.

* * *

Steve shoves the doors open and everyone looks towards the door.

James Rhodes aka Rhodey aka War Machine pulls his helmet back (technically it does it automatically but there must’ve been some sort of command).

Vision turns to face the front.

Sam Wilson, the Falcon, lands and pulls his wings into the backpack thing he has.

Wanda landed from using her powers to levitate herself.

Peter dropped from the roof and looked up, tugging the mask of the new suit he’d gotten from Tony.

And Pietro stood between his sister and the other teen baring a large smile.

“Avengers,” Steve calls. “Assemble.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Translation:  
Я люблю тебя, ребенок паук. - I love you, baby spider  
Я тоже тебя люблю, мама паук - I love you too, mama spider


	6. Happy Family

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> (⁄˘⁄ ⁄ ω⁄ ⁄ ˘⁄)♡

Peter crawled quietly through the vents and peered through the opening down on the Avenger’s living room. Clint and Laura were visiting with the kids.

  
  
Peter pulled the vent cover away and aimed the web shooter. He pulled Nathaniel into the vent with him, closing the cover softly. Nathaniel gurgled slightly and Peter shushed him as he backtracked in the vents.

  
  
He plopped into Natasha’s room. Natasha turned in her chair dramatically.

  
  
“Do you have the package?” she asked. Nathaniel giggled and Natasha pulled him from Peter’s arms. “There’s my baby nephew.” She cooed. “Now let’s go give daddy a heart attack.”

* * *

  
  
Peter had yet to be seen by the Barton family, lurking in the shadows. Wanda was babysitting Nathaniel for the moment.

  
  
“Lila.” He whispered, catching the small girl’s attention whilst Natasha distracted Clint. He pressed his fingers in a ‘SH’ motion and gestured for her to follow him. She followed without question.

  
  
“Where are we going?” Lila asked.

  
  
“We’re gonna have fun,” Peter replied.

* * *

  
  
Pietro zoomed into the room with Cooper under his arm.

  
  
“Got the last one.” He says, placing the young one of the floor.

  
  
“Has Laura gotten into position?” Peter asked, looking at Wanda. With Nathaniel still in her lap she was looking over the security cameras (that they totally didn’t hack into).

  
  
“Yes,” Wanda says.

  
  
“It’s all going to plan then.”

  
  
“What exactly IS this plan?” Pietro asked, sitting on Peter’s bed with a bounce. Cooper wandered behind Wanda, merrily taking interest of the cameras.

  
  
“Wait and see.” Peter abruptly turned to Wanda. “And no mind-reading either! This is a surprise!”

  
  
“Of course, Spiderling.” Wanda chortled.

  
  
“Spider-man!” Peter corrected and a childish pout. Pietro laughed, sprawling himself back onto Peter’s bed. “It’s not funny!” Peter continued, turning to Pietro and making the teen laugh harder.

  
  
“I was thinking, Clint.” Peter’s head shot to the laptop, showing where Laura was talking to Clint in an empty main room. Peter’s rooms door opened and Natasha walked in, taking Nathaniel from Wanda.

  
  
“Go.” She says, nodding in the direction of the door. “You might wanna go see what they’re talking about.” She looks at Pietro. “Both of you.”

  
  
The twins look at each other then walked out of the room and seconds later they appeared on the security cameras.

  
  
“What’s up?” Clint asked, brushing Laura’s hair from her face.

  
  
“I’ve been thinking.” Laura starts. “How would you feel about more?”

  
“More…?” Clint was confused, but then he seemed to realise. “Wait. Are you…?”

  
  
“No. No.” Laura quickly cut off. “But I was thinking of adoption. Maybe… twins?”

  
  
Clint’s head snapped over to Pietro and Wanda, both of whom seemed just as shocked as Clint. “Sure.” It seemed like an automated response, obviously; he’d been thinking about it a lot. “If they’d be okay with that.”

  
  
Wanda was crying and Pietro’s brain didn’t seem to comprehend it.

  
  
“We’d love that,” Wanda said softly, accepting the hug Laura offered. Pietro nodded slowly and joined in the hug. Clint added himself. The kids (Cooper and Lila) ran to their parents and added themselves to the hug as well, wriggling to the middle.

  
  
Natasha and Peter followed and stood in the archway as the new family held each other.

  
  
“Thank you,” Wanda says, her eyes connecting with Peter’s. He just smiled in response. “Thank you.”


	7. The Ant-Man

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sam: (ง •̀_•́)ง  
Scott: ༼ง ◉_◉༽ง  
Peter: Ｏ(≧▽≦)Ｏ

“What about Daredevil?”

“Who?”

“Daredevil! He’s a superhero around in Hell’s Kitchen.”

“Fitting.”

“C’ mon, Sam!”

“I’m JUST SAYING, I believe the Falcon is the superior hero, beside Captain America.”

“No way, Black Widow is superior.”

“JUST BECAUSE she’s your mother doesn’t mean-.” Sam suddenly lands from where he was circling the base.

Peter was in his room, talking over the coms. “What’s going on down there Sam?” Peter asks.

“I had a sensor trip but I’m not seeing anything,” Sam replied. “Wait a second. I can see you!” He called.

Peter watches on the cameras he still and on display as a being enlarges in front of Sam. A person in the suit.

“Hi. I’m Scott.”

“Did he just say; ‘Hi. I’m Scott’?” Peter asks.

“What are you doing here?” Sam asks.

“First off, I’m a big fan.” Scott starts.

“Appreciate it. So who the hell are you?”

“I’m Ant-Man.”

Sam smiles. “I’m Ant-Man?”

“What, you haven’t heard of me? No, you wouldn’t have heard of me.”

“You want to tell me what you want?”

“I was hoping I could grab a piece of technology just for a few days, and then return it. I need it to save the world. You know how that is.”

“I know exactly how that is.” Sam leans into his radio. “Located the breach. Bringing him in.”

“Sorry about this!” Scott yells as Sam goes to grab him. His body shrinks down, slams into Sam and presumably runs off.

“Breach is an adult male who has some sort of shrinking tech.” Sam flies in and lands to stamp on Scott but Scott manages to intercept it and fights him off.

“Sorry. Sorry about this. Sorry” Scott jumps around Sam whilst punching him.

“That’s enough!” Sam punches Scott as he jumps at him.

“Ant-thony, a little help,” Scott calls. A small ant, Ant-thony (Peter could appreciate the pun) flies in and flies Scott away. Sam flies after him.

“Sam?” Peter asks. The older man bursts out of the unit with his wings glitching.

“HE’S INSIDE MY PACK!” Sam yelled. Sam fights with the miniaturised Scott until his wings fail and her plants into the grass with a grunt.

Peter flinches.

“You okay, Sam?” Peter asks.

“It’s really important to me that Cap never finds out about this.”

Peter snorted. “Seriously, though, are you injured?”

“My pride is.”

“Good, you already had too much of that.”

“HEY!”


	8. Beginning of the Young Avengers (part 1)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Science children

Peter and Natasha were visiting (they had rooms for longs stays or when Natasha had missions because Peter was very grounded and only allowed his suit for training), actually, everyone was visiting. A sort of get-together for the Avengers.

(Tony brought Pepper and Rhodey (and some others Peter hadn’t gotten to talk to). Thor brought Jane. Steve technically lived at the compound. Natasha was with Peter. Clint brought his family. Sam and Vision technically lived there as well. And Bruce could be anywhere at this point.)

That’s not important.

Peter was having a conversation with people the Avengers had rounded up for training.

“Peter,” Pepper called.

“Yeah?” He hummed, perking up at her voice and wandering over. “What did you need?”

“Tony’s locked himself in the lab. Can you get him for dinner?”

“Yeah, course.”

“Thank you.” Pepper ruffled his hair.

Peter took a leisurely stroll from the common room to the elevator. Pietro sped up to him as he waited for the elevator.

“What’re you doing?” the teen asked.

“Miss Potts asked me to get Mr Stark for dinner.” Peter replied. 

“I’ll come with you.” Pietro slings an arm around Peter’s shoulder.

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.”

The elevator dinged and they stepped in.

“Mr Stark!” Peter called as FRIDAY opened the door for him. “Miss Potts is calling everyone to dinner.”

“Thanks, kid. Oh.” Tony perked up. “Good thing you’re here. I wanted you to introduce you to some people.”

“Yeah?”

“Kids!”

For a moment, Peter dreaded Tony was going to tease him with two young kids, but he was relieved that two teenagers answered Tonys’ summons. A girl and a boy.

Peter’s heart stopped in his chest. That boy was really,  _ really _ hot.

“Boys.” Tony was referring to both, Peter and Pietro. “This is Harley Keener.” The boy. “And Riri Williams.” The girl. “Kids, this is Peter Romanoff-.”

“Parker. My legal name is Parker.”

“But- Natasha.”

“Adopted.”

“Oh. Peter Parker and Pietro Maximoff. The Maximoff twins were adopted into the Barton household, but did not take their last names.”

“It’s the last piece of our parents we have.” Pietro reasons.

“I’ve got my father’s company.” Tony retorts.

“I thought Miss Potts ran the company.” Peter retorts.

“Careful with that.” Tony quips. “Now, you said dinners ready?”

“Miss Potts said dinner was ready.”

“In that case; we better haul ass then.”

* * *

Peter got along with Harley very well. He and his sister (her name was Alison) met Tony during the Mandarin attacks and Tony practically adopted them after their mother died. No one spoke of how she died and Peter felt out of place asking.

Riri was taken under Tony’s “ _ influential wing _ ” after he found out she was trying to re-create his Iron man suit. Peter didn’t know much about her family life but she’s practically moved into Wanda’s old room. (Harley shared the bunk bed in Peter’s room that used to be Pietro’s.)

The trio got into a lot of trouble when left alone with Tony’s tech, but the man never got that mad about it. He liked to help them prank the other Avengers, so he was more than supportive.

Harley, actually, was also attempting to re-build Tony’s suit as well. Whilst Riri’s was more... pink and silver (and had a proper breastplate), Harley’s was more orange and gold. Both were relative to their own creator’s heights.

Iron-Heart and Ironlad respectively were what they planned for their superhero names. When Tony found out he banned them both from updating their suits. The world only needed two “iron” suited men. Especially if one of them was Tony Stark. (The other was Rhodey. He’s cool.)

Speaking of their suits, the teens woke up with them in their rooms with a single message.

‘Meet in the courtyard.’


	9. Beginning of the Young Avengers (part 2)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pietro is a little shit, Peter goes along with his plans anyway.

The trio met in the courtyard with a similarly confused Wanda and Pietro. A group of three boys and two girls to form a team against… something, if everyone was dressed ready to fight.

Wanda had a black dress and a red leather jacket over the top. She wore black fishnet stockings and flats with a [red mask](https://www.google.com/search?q=scarlet+witch+mask&safe=strict&sxsrf=ACYBGNQ89hmbs4RKtSs5EU5ghKzrvA8NnQ:1567836417811&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjyjP_lhb7kAhV28HMBHWsKBgIQ_AUIEigB&biw=1339&bih=666#imgrc=zZU_-2uS529_kM:).

Pietro wore a padded shirt, black leggings tucked into boots and a utility belt that harnessed a generous amount of chemicals and weapons. He wore a black blindfold-mask with holes for his eyes.

“You look like a Ninja Turtle,” Harley says to him.

“What is a Ninja Turtle?” Pietro asks.

“I- it's a- you've never-." Harley sighs. "Never mind.”

“You look like Stark.” Wanda ripostes.

“Thank you! That’s what I was going for.” Harley quips with a smirk. Wanda scoffs and rolls her eyes.

“Welcome to the first part of the Young Avengers Initiative.” The group perked up and turned to Tony, dressed in his Iron man suit. By his sides stood the rest of the Avengers. “In this activity, you will be utilising your teamwork skills and powers against us.”

“Sorry, _what_?”

“We won’t be going easy,” Natasha adds, eyeing Peter. He gulped.

“UHM!” Harley cut in. “Five of US against seven of YOU?”

“You will almost always be outnumbered,” Steve replies.

“Yeah, against men with guns.” Peter snapped, gesturing to the twins. “Look at us, we could take them down.”

“Remember; Wanda, Pietro and Vision all could’ve been the enemy, Peter,” Natasha says.

Peter grumbled.

“Ready?” Tony called.

“No,” Peter replied quietly.

“GO!”

Tony, Rhodey, Sam and Vision were up in the air, shooting at the kids with their respective forms of attack. The other three charged at the kids, Natasha pulled out her guns (they were paint guns painted to look like real ones), Steve held his shield and Thor wielded Mjölnir.

The kids went evasive manoeuvres, Peter webbing to a building, Harley and Riri flying into the air and deflecting the air attacks and Wanda and Pietro giving ground cover.

“One, two, three, four-.” Peter counted. “Wait. Where’s Clint?”

“Watch yourself.” Peter perked up at the voice and narrowly managed to jump out the way of a net arrow. 

“Never mind, I found him!” Peter aimed his webs at nearby buildings to steady himself, then he did it to draw Clint out of his hiding spot, a little at least. When Clint was where he wanted, Peter shot a web at his chest and flung him at Sam, causing the pair to go tumbling to the ground. Peter webbed them both down.

Pietro gave him a thumbs up. And then motioned something.

Peter slung to the ground and Pietro wrapped an arm around his neck as Peter lifted them into the air again.

“Rhodey.” The twin spoke. “Take him down, we get Stark down.”

“What about the others?”

“Wanda and the Iron children will deal with them until we get there.”

“Okay... What’s your plan?”

Pietro smiled.

“Oh _no_.”

* * *

“This isn’t safe,” Peter cautioned. “I don’t like this.”

“It’s fine,” Pietro answered.

“NO, IT IS _NOT_ FINE!” Sam screamed.

“PIETRO MAXIMOFF YOU ARE GROUNDED!” Clint censures.

Pietro was running in circles, holding a thick string of web-connected to Clint and Sam, still stuck together. It got higher and higher until those who were flying had to evade the ball and still attack. It gave Wanda an advantage though.

“NOW!” Pietro yelled.

Peter jumped onto Rhodey’s back and punched the reactor on the front as hard as he could. The suit wavered, powered down and started to fall. Peter made a large web to catch him and then scuttled off.

“Rhodes!” Tony yelled. As Pietro predicted, Tony went to save him and left his back open. Pietro threw the Sam/Clint/web ball and Tony, sticking the four men down. Pietro’s hand was still stuck to the web so he ended up tailing the ball and landing between the web stands, handing a few meters above the concrete.

“That worked well.” Clint sneered at him.

“I dunno pops. You’re the one trapped in a giant ball of spider web.” Pietro replied. Peter came back and pulled Pietro free of the web and settled him back on the floor.

“Oh, no you don’t!”

“Shit.” Peter hissed, shoving the other teen out of the way and taking a direct hit to Natasha’s Widow’s bite taser. “Ow! the fuckin’ hurts!” the teen growled. 

“That’s the point,” Natasha replied, pulling away. Peter groaned and rolled onto his side. “Au revoir,” Natasha calls, walking off.

“You’re not French!” Peter cried after her.

“Hurts, doesn’t it?” Clint grunts. The weight of the webs and being sandwiched between Tony and Sam making breathing difficult.

“You’re looking a little red there, Barton.” Peter quips. “What? Can’t breathe?” Peter forces himself up with his arms as support. 

“God, how’re you walking already?” Clint asks.

“Enhanced healing,” Peter replied, grunting as he got to his feet. He steadied himself, then tested out his web-shooters. They both were damaged by Natasha's attack.

“Ha.” Tony beams. 

“That means your tech failed, Stark,” Clint says. 

“It means my tech works,” Tony replied. “I updated Romanoff’s Bite.”

“You updated her weapon and not mine?” Clit asked.

“You never asked,” Tony replied.

“All I had to do was _ask_?”

Peter left them to bicker as he ran up to Wanda. “My shooters don’t work.” He told her.

“You’ve got strength.” She replied. “Takedown Thor, get Mj- M- Mj- get the hammer away from him.”

“Got it.”

Peter ran up to Thor and stopped Mjölnir with his hands. Before Thor could summon lightning, though, Peter tugged it away from him and used it to smash Thor across the face, knocking him out. Harley picked the god up and dumped him on a free space of the web.

“тот является мой мальчик.” Natasha beams.

“Oh my god,” Clint mutters.

“Holy shit.” Steve was in awe.

“Language.” Natasha scolded, whacking Steve lightly on the shoulder. Steve groaned loudly.

“Natasha, I’m adopting your son!” Tony calls.

“Don’t even think about it!” Natasha responds.

Peter heaved a heavy breath and swung Mjölnir in his hand. “Y’know, this is lighter than I thought it’d be.”

“Well, if there's too much weight, you lose power on the swing.” Vision says. Sounds like he was quoting someone, Thor most likely. Vision landed on the ground and Peter got on defence, the pair circled each other. They were setting out an aura, a message that everyone seemed to understand.

This fight was between them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Translation:
> 
> тот является мой мальчик - That's my boy


	10. Beginning of the Young Avengers (part 3)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vision v Peter Parker
> 
> vs
> 
> Natasha emotes

Peter whirled Mjölnir in his hand, slowly stepping around in a circle. Vision followed this pattern, clenching and unclenching his hands. They were like lions ready to battle out over their territory, circling each other, waiting for the other to attack first.

Vision is the one to break this trance, launching forward with the intent to punch Peter. The teen in return backed up, avoiding the android’s fists with the elegance of a dancer (, he had been trained under Black Widow after all). Vision kept up, to the point Peter was climbing the wall behind him. With a large jump over the android, Peter spun on his heels and aimed to slam the stone of Mjölnir into Vision’s… well, he was pretty sure the android didn’t have a gut but that was where he was aiming anyways.

Vision caught the hammer and reeled it up above his head, dragging Peter up with it and slamming the teen down. Peter grunted against the cement and spun out the way of Vision’s second swing of the hammer.

“Should we stop them?” Riri asked.

“They should be fine,” Thor replied. Apparently, he’d awoken some time during the fight and pulled himself free of the web. “Fighting a foe on equal ground is important.”

“Okay backtrack.” Harley cut in. “Did you say ‘_should_’? As in; they could be very hurt after this?”

“Well, yes. I suppose.” Thor conceded with a sigh, making his way over to take Mjölnir away from the teen and android.

“Grab it- grab it.” Harley stuttered, a pool on anxiousness gnawing at his gut as he ignored the instinct to intervene.

“How about we settle this fight later, okay?” Thor mused, tugging his weapon from the android’s hand. Vision and Peter heaved, Peter laying on the cement still and Vision a few seconds from collapsing next to- and there he goes. They’re both lying on the cement now.

“Good game.” Peter chuckled weakly, holding a fist out to Vision. The android returns the gesture with a fist bump and a nod.

“Good game.”

“So is that just… it?” Pietro asked. “We took out Stark, Clint, Sam, Rhodey and kind of Thor and Vision and that’s it? What about Natasha?”

“Outnumbered.” The Russian replied. “Most minions will retreat once their numbers dwindle.”

“You kids were good for your first fight,” Clint says, colour regaining in his face. Thor’s disturbance of Peter’s web allowed the others to get free, it seemed. “Better than us.”

“That’s because they’re friends, Katniss.” Tony quipped. “They can actually tolerate each other.”

“HA.” Clint seethed towards the billionaire.

“Alright ребенок паук.” Natasha slipped her arms under Peter and lifted him up. “Let’s get you to your room.”

“Я люблю тебя, мама.” Peter murmurs, nuzzling into Natasha’s warmth.

“я тоже тебя люблю, детка.” She replies softly, walking him to his room.

“I’m not the only one who thinks that she just got possessed, right?” Rhodey asked. No one replied. “Right?”

* * *

It was dark, and everyone in the building was asleep. Actually, that was a lie. Peter was awake, and he could hear the heartbeats of everyone in the compound. Pietro was in the bunk above Peter’s, so his heartbeat was the loudest, like it was right in Peter’s ear.

Tony’s heartbeat was there as well, thudding just a bit faster than it would if you were sleeping. By the direction, it seemed to be coming from his lab, undoubtedly tinkering on one gadget or another.

And then there was Natasha’s. The sudden spike of hers had Peter leap up and slam his head into the railing of the higher bunk, which led to Pietro stirring in his sleep. Peter groaned and made his way out of his room and to Natasha’s instead.

She’d calmed from what Peter assumed was a nightmare, sitting on a small couch she had overlooking the compound garden.

“You okay?” Peter asked softly, taking place behind the couch.

“I miss him.” She didn’t need to say who. Peter sat at the other end of the couch and wrapped his arms around Natasha. She nuzzled into him, taking in the teenage boy scent of his shirt.

“Is that what your nightmare was about?” Peter inquires.

“Damn you and your magic sixth sense,” Natasha says, making both of them chuckle. “Yeah. Yeah, it was.”

“I bet- no, I know he’s still out there, waiting to see you again, мама,” Peter says, dragging his fingers through Natasha’s hair.

“Is that your ‘_spider-sense_’ telling you?” Natasha asks sarcastically.

“My heart,” Peter replied, taking no offence to Natasha’s tone. “Just believe he’ll be okay, мама, that’s the best we can do for him for now.”

Natasha broke, burying her face into Peter’s shirt as she allowed herself to cry in his comfort. Peter listened calmly, kneading his fingers through her hair, rubbing her back and shushing her softly.

“I love you, мама.” He says quietly.

“I love you more, ребенок паук.”

“Impossible!”

“But it’s true!”

“No!”

“Yes!”

“нет!”

“да!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Translation:  
Я люблю тебя, мама - I love you, mom  
я тоже тебя люблю, детка - I love you too, baby  
нет - no  
да - yes


	11. Home Again, Home Again

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peter is pure  
Michelle is not  
Natasha's a mom  
Jessica should not
> 
> be

“I want to adopt him.”

Pepper spat her coffee out. 

Rhodey just shook his head.

Clint laughed. “You’d have to pull him out of her cold dead hands, Stark.”

“I’m being serious, Legolas.”

There was a silence as Clint cut off. “Uh…”

“You have kids already, though?” Sam asked, cocking an eyebrow.

“What?”

“Riri, Harley, Alison.” Rhodey listed.

“Riri is not my-.”

“Yes, she is.” Tony gave Pepper a betrayed look.

“Besides,” Clint added. “Peter takes first priority to Nat, he’s the most important thing in her life, she’s not gonna give him up so easily.”

* * *

“Home sweet home.” Peter beamed, collapsing on the couch with a content groan.

“Don’t get too comfy, you’ve got school tomorrow,” Natasha warned from the kitchen.

“Noo!” Peter moaned.

“Oh come on,” Natasha rolled her eyes. “You’ll get to see Ned again.”

Peter perked up at the mention. “Oh! Ned’ll lose his shit when I tell him about Sokovia!”

“Just be careful, ребенок паук,” Natasha says. “You never know who’s listening.”

Peter scoffed. “It’s not like anyone else would believe me.”

“You never know,” Natasha retorts.

“Yeah, yeah.” Peter waved Natasha’s worry off. He rolled onto his stomach and picked up a movie case left on the coffee table. “ _ Die Hard _ … Was Jake over here while we were away?”

“Probably.” Natasha shrugged. “I gave Rosa a key.”

“You gave Rosa a key when we don’t even know where her apartment is? And they live in Brooklyn! Why were they over here?”

“You don’t question Rosa,” Natasha replied.

“Fair enough, I guess.” Peter shrugged. “Wanna watch a movie?”

“Sure, but it better not be that  _ Die Hard _ shit.”

“First of all; how  _ dare _ you.” Peter held up his index finger to count. “Second of all; sure, let’s put Disney or something on.”

Natasha chuckled and entered the living room with two plates. “Dinner.” She announced as Peter set up the movie. The old fashioned  _ Snow White _ played on screen.

* * *

Natasha picked Peter up and walked him to his bed, settling him down.

“спокойной ночи, мой маленький паук.” She whispered.

“спокойной ночи мама.” Peter murmured back as if he heard her in his dreams. Natasha smiled, kneading her fingers through his hair then left his room.

She cleaned up the living room with the credits music of  _ Beauty and the Beast _ playing in the background.

There was an urgent-sounding knock on the front door.

“Tasha, let me in!”

The Russian pulled the door open for the taller woman to step inside. She did so with a teenage on her heel.

“Jess- what?”

“Kilgrave.” Jessica cut in with a heavy breath. “I need you to watch Michelle, I don’t think he knows about her.”

The teen huffed. “I can look after myself.”

“No you can’t, not against him.”

“No, yeah, of course, she can stay,” Natasha says. “But you need to calm down and explain what happened. Michelle, you can stay in my room if you want.”

“I’ll just bunk with Peter.” She says, slinging her duffle bag over her shoulder and stalking off to his room.

Natasha turned back to Jessica. “What happened?”

“H-he… he got to this girl- Hope.” Jessica gulped. “God, don’t you have alcohol in here?”

“No, I’m a responsible adult,” Natasha replied.

“Shit.” Jessica cursed. “He just- he made her kill her parents, now there’s an innocent woman in prison and… I don’t know, I think he’s trying to get to me- to get back at me for… something, I don’t even know.”

“You’re stressed,” Natasha says, helping Jessica slide down onto the couch. “Stay here tonight and figure things out tomorrow, okay?”

“No, I can’t-.”

“You need to sleep. You’re not going to get it worrying about it right now.”

“No-.”

“Sleep goddamn it.”

“I can’t, just, promise me you’ll keep Michelle safe.” Jessica gave Natasha a helpless look, it was unusual for her character. Natasha sighed.

“Of course, I’ll keep her safe.”

Jessica sagged with relief. “Thank you, Natasha. I’m working to get Kilgrave behind bars or- something.” She shook her head. “I’ll let you know.”

“I’m sure the news will do that,” Natasha replied. “But sure. Michelle will be safe with us.”

“Thank you. Thanks. I just-.” Jessica stood and shook her head, perhaps of adrenaline. “-I just need to get rid of him.”

Natasha nodded. Jessica nodded back.

“I’ll get to work,” Jessica says.

“Put Kilgrave in his place,” Natasha replies. Jessica smiles and helps herself out of the apartment.

Natasha makes her way back to Peter’s room, where Michelle had dragged herself onto the top bunk.

“Тетя Tasha?” Michelle calls.

“Yes, моя маленькая мышка?” Natasha replies.

“Everything is going to be fine, right?” Michelle asks, turning to look at her.

“Of course, your mother is a strong person… literally.” Natasha acknowledges with a chuckle. “No- yeah. Everything will be fine. I’m sure of it.”

“Goodnight, Тетя Tasha.”

“Goodnight, маленькая мышь.”

Natasha closes the door and goes back to cleaning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Translation:  
спокойной ночи, мой маленький паук - goodnight, my little spider  
спокойной ночи мама - goodnight mama  
Тетя - aunt  
моя маленькая мышка - my little mouse  
маленькая мышь - little mouse


	12. Back at School

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> *to the tune of Sexy Bitch*
> 
> MJ is a sassy bitch  
a sassy bitch  
MJ is a sassy bitch  
Damn girl

Peter was the first awake, startled by the extra heartbeat above him. He slowly moved off his bed and peered onto ton the top bunk. Brown hair, still wearing day clothes… MJ?

Peter shook his head and made his way to the kitchen, preparing food for the three of them. Pancakes, specifically.

“Good morning for a crisis, hm?” MJ asked, slinking out of Peter’s bedroom and falling onto the couch, probably to sleep again.

“I suppose,” Peter replied. “Get ready for school.”

“Nooo.” MJ moaned into the couch cushions.

“Aren’t you supposed to be up earlier? You have to get to Queens from Hell’s Kitchen, that’s forty minutes in the subway.”

“I was up late last night,” MJ replied. “And we’re both up early.”

Peter looked at the kitchen clock. 5:42 am. 

“Oh. I’m up eighteen minutes early.” Peter went back to making pancakes and spoke in a dull voice. “I’m so distressed.”

“Haha.” MJ sasses from the couch. “Wait.” She sat up. “You get up at six am?”

Peter shrugged. “Yeah, мама takes me jogging with her. Oh, that reminds me, do you want to come?”

“Augh.” MJ drew her dislike out long. “Fine. Got nothing better to do.”

“Cool,” Peter replied. The pair fell into silence as Peter continued to cook. “By the way. Why are you here, like-?”

“I get it.” MJ cut in before he could ramble. “Mom’s going through a rough patch, I guess, this guy named Kilgrave, I think?”

“_Kilgrave_? Ew.”

MJ snickered. “I know right? What kind of name is that? Anyway, he’s apparently able to mind control people, made some girl named Hope kill her parents, those of whom hired Mom to find Hope since she’d been missing.”

“Poor thing.”

“Yeah, Mom thinks I’d be safer here.”

“Obviously.” Peter boasted. “You’ve got Black Widow and Spider-man protecting you.”

“Oh, I feel _so_ protected.” MJ rolled her eyes. “But in most people’s eyes, it’s Natalie and Pater Parker, not Black Widow – Natasha Romanoff and Spider-man.”

“To each his own.” Peter shrugged.

“Pete, I don’t think you know what that means.”

“Good morning, бэби паук, маленькая мышка.” Natasha greeted as she entered the living space, already dressed for the day She moved towards the kitchen to kiss Peter’s forehead.

“Morning, мама.” Peter greeted.

“Good morning, тетя Tasha.”

“Are you joining us for the morning run?” Natasha asks MJ, stealing a pancake from Peter’s pile.

“Yep,” MJ replied, joining her in the kitchen as Peter served breakfast.

“You may want to get dressed properly then,” Natasha warns.

“After breakfast.” Both teens quipped simultaneously.

Natasha laughed at the drowsy paired teens. Obviously, getting up early was not a good fit for them.

* * *

“You guys look exhausted,” Ned said, watching the pair collapse in their seats. MJ more than Peter, he actually seemed fine.

“Yeah, no shit, genius.” The girl seethed, her bangs a mess in front of her eyes.

“What happened?” Ned asked Peter.

“мама took us jogging with her,” Peter replied as MJ attempted to catch her breath.

“Oh, the Black Widow work out, huh?”

“Ned, never say that again.” 

“Okay, sorry.”

The teacher began the class.

* * *

“So, how were the Bartons?” Ned asked as the trio sat at their table for lunch.

“Good. Laura had her baby, they named him Nathaniel, after мама.” Peter replied. “Uh, I snuck onto the Quinjet.”

“YOU DID WHAT?!”

“_Shutup_!” Peter hissed as people began to look at their table.

“Sorry,” Ned whispered. “YOU DID WHAT?” he whispered-yelled that time.

“I dressed in my suit and snuck onto the Quinjet, I helped them fight Ultron in Sokovia. I’m an official part of the Avengers!”

“You didn’t tell me this.” MJ scowls from across the table.

“I wanted to tell you both at the same time,” Peter replied.

“Wouldn’t it been on the news?” Ned mused to himself.

“Ton- Mr Stark made sure I wasn’t, because y’ know. I’m a minor, but also because it would be weird for Spider-man to be in Sokovia when I work around Queens.”

“You’re on a first-name basis with Tony Stark?! _The_ Tony Stark?” Ned exclaims, again, in a whisper.

“Oh, _please_.” And yet Flash still heard. “As _if_ Penis Parker would be on a first-name basis with Tony Stark, I bet he hasn’t even met Tony Stark.”

“Have _you_, Eugene?” MJ asked smugly.

“No, obviously, none of us have.” Flash hissed back, then he smirked. “Jealous are we, Ms Jones?”

“Jealous of your ignorance, maybe.” She replied, busying herself with a book.

“Look, Parker doesn’t know Tony Stark, just stop lying about it,” Flash says, ignoring MJ in favour of verbally attacking the boys.

“That implies I’ve lied about it before.” Peter deadpans.

“Who knows?” Flash shrugs. “You might even lie about knowing the rest of the Avengers next. Thor, the Hulk, Captain America, Black Widow.” Flash listed. “Who else are you pretending to know?”

“None,” Peter replied, swallowing his pride down. “I’m not pretending to know any of them.”

“Good boy, Parker, you could be a good dog if you just listened sometimes.” Flash walked off with his friends to go bother some other poor kid. Poor as in unfortunate.

“Peter…”

“I’m not pretending to know them if I actually _do_ know then, Ned.” The teen replied with a smile.

“Oh. Oh my god. You _played_ Flash. Holy shit.”

“Calm down, loser,” MJ commented across the table, not looking up from her book.

“So wait,” Ned says, ignoring her. “You _know_ Captain America?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Translation:  
бэби паук, маленькая мышка - baby spider, little mouse


	13. Two of a Kind (part 1)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peter: Σ(･口･)  
Miles: ฅ=͟͟͞͞((꒪∆꒪;)ฅ  
MJ: ＼| ￣ヘ￣|／

“See you back at yours then, loser.” MJ waved and continued walking back to Peter’s house as the other teen changed in an alleyway. Peter was quick to find MJ again, walked absentmindedly with her nose buried in a book.

“MJ.” He calls, attempting to not attract unwanted attention.

“What?” The teen asked, stopping in her tracks, but not looking up. 

“Can you take my school bag?” It probably wasn’t safe with her. But it definitely wasn’t safe webbed to a dumpster.

“Fine.” He tossed it down to her and she placed it on her arm like a shopping bag and continued walking. With that, Peter flung himself into the air, ready for whatever the night may throw at him.

Peter’s heightened hearing drew him to an alleyway, close to the edge of Queens. A man, late thirties - early forties, cornering a teenager, maybe about Peter’s age, also male.

“And when I’m done with you-.”

“Hey,” Peter called. “Threatening teenagers is low man, and whatever might come next is possibly illegal.”

“Spider-man.” The old man grunted, stumbling slightly as he craned his neck up at the hero. Drunk, therefore disoriented, and wearing loose, ruffled clothing, defiantly not married; perhaps divorced, probably sick if his slow heartbeat meant anything (it could be the alcohol), and he reeked of sex. “Don’t you know how to mind yer own business?” his voice slurred.

“Usually my business is those in peril. In fear. And that kid looks pretty damn scared to me.” Peter says. “So why don’t you make this easy and leave the kid alone?”

The man chuckled and stumbled slightly as he turned to face the ledge Peter was crouching on, though his head was still tilted awkwardly to look at him, eyes squinted to attempt to focus in the dark light mixed with drunk blurriness. “Why don’t you make me?”

Peter swung down, kicking the guy in the gut. It wasn’t all that powerful, but it made him fall into the surrounding trash anyway. The man groaned and didn’t bother trying to stand up again, settling for sleeping in the garbage.

“That was easy.” Peter mused, turning to the kid. “You okay? Nothing hurt?” the kid stuttered over a response. Peter’s head throbbed and his ears rung with the usual form of Spidey-sense having a go at him. It was directed at the kid. “You’re like me…” Peter almost whispered.

“Y-yeah.” The kid nodded slowly. He then held his hand out. “Miles Morales, I was uh, hoping you could help me with the spider thing.”

“Uh, y-yeah, no, sure, I can do that, yeah, just, uh… maybe during the day? Or after my patrol?” Peter asked.

“I was uh- no, yeah, that’s fine. I just…” the kid, Miles, trailed off awkwardly. God, he was like Peter.

“I’ll need your number, man.” Peter pulls a burner phone from a pocket in his suit and offers it to Miles. The phone was only used for messaging people (usually Natasha or Clint) and all names were coded so it’s not like Miles knew who was who. There was nothing personal on that phone so Peter wasn’t too worried.

“Here.” Miles hands it back and Peter sends a text from the phone. Miles’ phone vibrates.

“We’ll set up a meeting, okay, Miles?” Peter asks, shooting a web, ready to leave.

“Yeah, okay.” The teen nods. “I was out here looking for you actually.”

“Where you from?”

“Brooklyn.”

Peter nods. “I’ll see you ‘round.”

“Bye.”

And Peter swung off.

* * *

Peter pulled the phone out when he collapsed on his bed (still dressed in his Spider-man costume) and looked at Miles name.

“How was your patrol?” MJ asked sleepily from the top bunk.

“I met someone,” Peter replied. “He had the same powers as me… I felt it.”

“Wow.” MJ droned. “Another Spiderling out to take on crime in New York.”

“He’s from Brooklyn.”

“I don’t care.”

Peter debated calling the boy but decided against it and texted him instead.

** 2:36 am Spiderman: You Awake? **

** **

** 2:36 am Miles Morales: yeah **

** **

Peter, again, debated what he was supposed to start with.

** 2:37 am Miles Morales: hey question **

** **

** 2:37 am Spiderman: Yeah? **

** **

** 2:38 am Miles Morales: how do you unstkic **

** **

** 2:28 am Miles Morales: *sick **

** **

** 2:28 am Miles Morales: *ikst **

** **

** 2:29 am Spiderman: Take Ur Time **

** **

** 2:29 am Spiderman: Miles? **

** **

** 2:29 am Spiderman: Man? **

** **

** 2:30 am Spiderman: Did U Die Or Smthn? **

** **

** 2:30 am Miles Morales: i fell off the ceiling **

** **

** 2:30 am Spiderman: Lol **

** **

Peter actually snickered. He remembers doing something similar when he first got his powers.

** 2:31 am Spiderman: When Did U Get Ur Powers? **

** **

** 2:34 am Miles Morales: i got them… when i was in this sewer area. with my uncle. i was bitten by a spider, didn’t think much of it. that was a couple of days ago. then at school, my hands started sticking to everything, and then suddenly i was standing on the wall of my dorm room?  **

** **

** 2:34 am Miles Morales: i thought itd be best to talk to you about it **

** **

** 2:34 am Spiderman: Yeah, The Same Thing Happened To Me **

** **

** 2:34 am Spiderman: What Do You Want To Do With These Powers? **

** **

Three dots appeared on the screen, showing Miles was typing. They disappeared, reappeared, disappeared and re-appeared again.

** 2:39 am Miles Morales: i want to help people. like you. **

** **

** 2:39 am Miles Morales: i want to protect my friends and family. my dads actually a cop yknow **

** **

** 2:40 am Spiderman: That’s Cool **

** **

** 2:40 am Spiderman: But You Gotta Be Sure About This **

** **

** 2:40 am Spiderman: I Don’t Want You Flaking Out On Me Man **

** **

That’s not true, he doesn’t want to be responsible for Miles’ death, but that speech wouldn’t work on Miles, it didn’t for him.

** 2:41 am Miles Morales: I wont **

** **

** 2:41 am Spiderman: How Old Are You? **

** **

** 2:42 am Miles Morales: 18 **

** **

** 2:42 am Spiderman: Bullshit **

** **

** 2:44 am Miles Morales: fine **

** **

** 2:44 am Miles Morales: im 13 **

** **

** 2:44 am Spiderman: Oof **

** **

** 2:45 am Miles Morales: omg **

** **

** 2:45 am Miles Morales: ur a meme! **

** **

** 2:45 am Miles Morales: that means ur gen z **

** **

** 2:45 am Miles Morales: that means youre not that much older than I am! **

** **

** 2:45 am Spiderman: Oh No! **

** **

** 2:46 am Spiderman: My Precious Secret! **

** **

** 2:46 am Spiderman: What Ever Shall I Do?! **

** **

** 2:46 am Miles Morales: lol so how old r u really? **

** **

** 2:46 am Spiderman: 14 **

** **

** 2:47 am Miles Morales: wtf **

** **

** 2:47 am Miles Morales: r u kidding me? **

** **

** 2:47 am Spiderman: I Wish Man **

** **

** 2:47 am Miles Morales: and you get away with that? **

** **

** 2:48 am Spiderman: My Mom’s Very Understanding **

** **

** 2:48 am Spiderman: And Scary **

** **

** 2:48 am Miles Morales: so is my mom **

** **

“What are you doing?” MJ asked, drowsiness evident in her tone.

“Texting,” Peter replied.

** 2:48 am Spiderman: You Gonna Come Up With A Superhero Name? **

** **

“Texting who?” MJ questioned.

“Didn’t know you cared,” Peter muttered.

“I don’t.”

** 2:48 am Miles Morales: man spider? **

** **

** 2:49 am Spiderman: No, Do Not Invert My Name **

** **

“I’m texting the new spider bite victim.” Peter supplies.

“What’s his name?”

“Miles.”

** **

** 2:52 am Miles Morales: arachnida? **

** **

** 2:52 am Spiderman: Eh, Kinda On The Nose With That One **

** **

** 2:52 am Miles Morales: kid arachnid? **

** **

“I meant his alias.” MJ snapped.

“Kid Arachnid.”

** 2:53 am Spiderman: I Like It **

** **

** You changed  ** _ **Miles Morales** _ ** to  ** _ **Kiddus Arachnius** _

_ _

** 2:53 am Kiddus Arachnius: thanks **

** **

“You gonna train this kid?”

“Yep.”

“Cool. Go to sleep.”

** 2:54 am Spiderman: My Cousin’s Tellin’ Me To Go To Sleep **

** **

** 2:54 am Kiddus Arachnius: okay **

** **

** 2:54 am Kiddus Arachnius: wait **

** **

** 2:54 am Kiddus Arachnius: whats ur civilian name? **

** **

** 2:55 am Spiderman: Peter Parker **


	14. Two of a Kind (part 2)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Miles learns how to "Spider-man"

Peter tugged on his mask and leapt up onto the rooftops. He’d told Miles to meet in the alleyway from before, but to bring, at least, gloves and a mask.

He was waiting a bit before Miles turned up, wandering cautiously into the alley. Peter webbed the front of Miles’ shirt and tugged him onto the roof.

“Not going to get used to that.” Miles groaned, massaging the side of his head.

“Well, hopefully, you’re not being yanked up next time,” Peter replied.

“Next time...” Miles mused in an awestruck voice; like it was just settling in on him.

“You brought the mask and gloves?” Peter asked.

“Uh, yeah? Why?”

“The best way to learn is by training,” Peter replied.

“Those both mean the same thing.” Miles deadpanned.

“Yeah, I know. The point is, you’re patrolling with me.”

“What?! I can’t do that! My webs haven’t developed yet!”

Peter blinked, the mask imitating him. “ _ What _ ?”

“The- y‘know.” Miles mimicked Peter shooting webs.

“You mean my web-shooters?” Peter asked, showing the technology tied to his wrists. “I don’t make the webs naturally, man.”

“Oh…  _ oh _ .” Miles still looked confused. “So, wait, you made those?”

“Yeah, I brought my old ones for you to use since mine upgraded with the suit To- Stark made me.”

“O…kay…”

Peter pulled them out of his backpack and handed them over. Miles hooked them up over his gloves and tested them out.

“I brought extra fluid too,” Peter adds, holding up a few small beakers of white fluid.

“Ew.” Miles crinkled his nose in disgust.

“No.” Peter snorted. “This makes the webbing.”

“I realised that- but does it have to-.”

“Yes.”

Miles sighed. “Fine.” The pulled his own bag close to him and tugged out a black and red ninja hood mask thing. ( [ this ](https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&source=images&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwjuicyhz9LkAhXClOYKHVRQDl4QjRx6BAgBEAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.etsy.com%2Flisting%2F65478658%2Fninja-hoodie-scarf&psig=AOvVaw0yJkZKP2SPxWZP6fa7FBN-&ust=1568629691161023) ) He pulled the fabric over his mouth and wound the rest around his head.

“мой боже.” Peter cursed. “Why do you even own something like that?”

“It looks cool,” Miles replied. “What’s your excuse, it’s not like your old costume was any different.”

“I bought mine specifically for Spider-man.” Peter deadpanned. “I’m sure you’ve noticed the heightened senses.”

“Obviamente, cabrón.”

“No seas arrogante conmigo, joven saltamontes.” Peter replied.

“What are you, my dad?” Miles scoffs. “How many languages do you speak anyways?”

“English and Russian are my easiest via my мама. My tía Rosa is Latina-American and my tía Amy is Cuban-American so I’m fluent in Spanish. I know French, Italian, Mandarin-.”

“I get it, you’re an overachiever.” Miles groans.

“Not really, my мама was proficient in those languages so she taught me.” Peter shrugged. “But that’s not important right now. What’s important is getting you acquainted with these powers. I’m assuming you’ll want to patrol Brooklyn?”

“Yeah, that’s where all my friends are.”

“Don’t make it obvious where you live, Miles,” Peter warned. “That could endanger your family.”

“Yeah, yeah, responsibility, I get it.” Miles waved Peter off before he could ramble further. “Can we start with how these thingy-ma-jigs work?”

So, Peter started teaching Miles the ropes, we the  _ webs _ , in this case. How to swing, balancing on surfaces, using the webs and spider-sense reflexes to fight the few crooks they found, usually harassing women, sometimes just teenagers in alleys. Or the occasional mugging.

Miles was vibrating in excitement, swinging recklessly and quick to throw fists. Peter was right behind him, mostly to stop him from getting killed prematurely, but as the night went on, his faith in Miles grew.

“So, whilst we’re out here, do I call you Spidey or something?” Miles asked.

“Obviamente, cabrón.” Peter replied, quoting Miles.

“Ha Ha.” Miles hissed sarcastically. “So does that mean I’m, like, Kid? Or Arachnid? You’re not always gonna call me the full thing.”

“Kid,” Peter replied. “You are two years behind me.”

“Two years isn’t that long.”

“Two years is the difference between eighteen and twenty.”

“Fair.”

Miles laid back onto the rooftop they were sitting on. “Friendly neighbourhood Spider-man, is it?” he mused. “So Queens is your neighbourhood, right? And that makes Brooklyn mine?”

“Yeah, I guess.” Peter shrugged, tugging his mask off. “There’s still more to go through though, maybe I could get Tony to make you a proper suit, we could give it a hood.”

“Ha.” Miles chuckled. “That’d be the day.”

“We also need communicators; I’d like to not have to text you mid-fight.”

“Yeah, that’ be a bit awkward.”

They fell silent, there was no more to say, nothing needed to be said.

“You feel that?” Peter asked.

“Yep,” Miles replied.

“Let’s go.”

“How’d your patrol go, ребенок паук?” Natasha greeted when Peter snuck home that night. “You’re in earlier than last night.”

“Sorry, мама,” Peter replied. “But it went well, I made a friend.”

“I saw.” Natasha showed him her phone screen open to some person’s social media account.

The photo was of Peter and Miles in their costumes, swinging across an orange sky captioned; “Spider-Man has a partner?!”

“Oh, news already? That was fast.” The teen mused, taking an apple from the fruit bowl.

“Be careful, Peter.” Natasha scolds.

“It’s fine, мама, he’s thirteen, I know his identity.”

“And he knows yours?”

“Well… yeah.”

Natasha sighed. “What do you actually know about him?”

“I’m pretty sure he’s from a half African-American and Puerto Rican household. He’s from Brooklyn, goes to this kinda fancy school he hates. His dad is a cop and his mom is a nurse.”

“What’s his name, Peter?”

“Miles Morales.”

Natasha sighs, kneading her fingers through her hair. “Go to bed.” She waves a hand. “You’ve got school. I’ll do a background check on this Morales kid.”

Peter goes to walk to his room, but lingers in the doorway, so he was facing Natasha’s back. “I love you, мама.”

Natasha hesitates, chewing on the nail of her thumb. “I love you too, ребенок паук.”

Peter accepts that and goes to his room, slinging his backpack onto the floor.

“Are you okay?” MJ asks, leaning over the top bunk railing.

“I don’t know,” Peter replied, slipping out the door again and making his way to the bathroom. He needed a shower.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Translation:  
мой боже - my god  
Obviamente, cabrón - obviously, you bastard  
No seas arrogante conmigo, joven saltamontes - Don't be arrogant with me, young grasshopper  
tía - aunt
> 
> Note: 
> 
> Jefferson Davis and Aaron Davis (Miles' dad and uncle respectively) are African-American whilst his mother, Rio Morales, is Peurto Rican.
> 
> Peter's biological family was Italian-American but since he was raised by Natasha he learnt the languages she knows, why will be explained


	15. I'm Scared

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Plot

“мама, are you okay?” Peter asked, dressed in a sweatshirt (totally not one of MJ’s, she was the tallest there) and jeans.

Natasha was sitting on the living room recliner, sitting in a white singlet and leggings. Most items had been moved out of the room to make space for her ballet practise. It was Natasha’s give-away that she was stressed.

“I’ve been thinking.” She replied.

“About?” Peter prompted, taking Natasha’s willingness to talk as an invitation to get closer to her, deciding to sit at her feet. Natasha sighed into her palm and Peter rested his cheek on her knee. “Moooomm.”

Natasha snorts, hiding the smile it brought in her hand. “About Spider-man.” She answers when her face returns to its natural colour. Peter frowned in confusion.

“What about him?” he asked slowly. He didn’t like where this was going.

Natasha takes her time to reply, hiding her face in her hands again. It takes Peter a second to realise she’s crying. “I can’t protect him.” Peter jumped up from the floor to hug her, squishing into the recliner with her. “And I’m so scared whenever he leaves. That he’s going to get hurt, and I won’t be able to save him.”

“мама.”

“I’m scared, Peter. I’m scared that I’m going to lose you.” Natasha says, clutching at his face, tears streamed down her cheeks and her eyes red and puffy. “I know what do can do, Pete, but I know how unsafe it is and I don’t want you to get hurt.”

Peter nuzzled into Natasha’s neck, wrapping his arms under her arms in an awkward hug. Because he was still pretty much sitting in the arm of the recliner. “I know, мама.” He whispers to her. “I know, but I want to live up to you, I want to make you proud of me.”

Natasha sobbed again and her embrace on the teenager gets tighter. “I already am, ребенок паук, I already am.”

“I love you, мама.”

“I love you too.”

“Now.” Peter bounces back to his happier nature, sliding his hands down Natasha’s arms to grab her hands and drag her onto the makeshift dance floor. “I want to practise my ballet skills.”

Natasha snorts, despite the past conversation still evident on her face. She dries her eyes and adjusts herself into  [ first position ](https://www.google.com/search?q=first+position+ballet&safe=strict&sxsrf=ACYBGNT4-xNVxOM_3Wmq0OUQADORm-kWsw:1568782248105&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwj6_4KlydnkAhVNfH0KHYtSBgAQ_AUIEigB&biw=1340&bih=666#imgrc=S5ax503Sfj3InM:) . Peter copied her.

* * *

Peter felt his Spidey-sense tingling. Something was wrong.

“Hey, мама?” He calls.

“Yes, ребенок паук?” Natasha asks from the kitchen, merrily cooking dinner.

“Do you know where MJ is?”

“She went to the library a few hours ago. Could you go check on her, actually? It’s been a while.”

“Yeah… yeah.” Peter stands and goes to his room, pulling his costume on and then leaping from his window. Spider-man could get to the library quicker than Peter Parker could. He pulled civilian clothes over the suit and tugged his mask off. He walked as normally as he could with his Spidey-sense going haywire and an empty backpack slung over his shoulder.

He spotted MJ talking with a nicely dressed man. She looked like she’d rather be anywhere else. Peter could sense the fear and confusion radiating off of her. Something was very, very wrong.

“MJ!” he called as casually as he could in a library. “Hey, what happened to you?” Peter could see the fear reflected in MJ’s eyes as she didn’t reply. The man seemed to study Peter curiously.

“Who are you?” He asks. It sounded more like a demand, honestly.

“That’s none of your business,” Peter replied, a little too icily. The man seemed surprised.

“Tell me, Michelle, who is this boy to you?”

“Peter’s my best friend, family, even,” MJ replied in a one that didn’t match her eyes. And that certainly wasn’t something MJ would ever admit, especially to his face.

“Interesting.” The man muses. “Follow.” MJ seemed compelled to do as the man said, abandoning the book she was reading.

Peter followed with a confused look on his face. “MJ,” Peter called again. “We have to get home. Мама’s worried about us.”

The man didn’t stop walking, and neither did MJ, so Peter still jogged after.

“Who’s ‘мама’?” the man asked.

“My mom,” Peter replied. “Obviously.” 

The man snorted.

“Look, MJ, we gotta go, this guy is sketchy.”

“Michelle, before you leave, how do you know Ms Jessica Jones?”

“She’s my mom, Peter’s aunt,” MJ replied.

The guy is silent and Peter takes the chance to drag her away. He hid them in an alleyway.

“Who was that?” He asked.

“Kilgrave…” MJ replies slowly, not bothering to mask the fear his name brought to her.

“Shit.” Peer cursed. And his Spidey-sense spiked as well. They still weren’t safe. “Let’s get home before something worse happens.”

“Too late~” A voice sang from the entry of the alley.

“Godamn it.” Peter cursed. “What were you told?”

“Kill the boy, take the girl.” It was a large, burly man with a beard and hairy arms. He wore a floral patterned shirt and had the name ‘Eleanor’ tattooed on the bottom of his forearm. “Kill the boy, take the girl.”

“Take her where?”

“To Kilgrave.”

Peter groaned. “Good luck.”

The man lunged at Peter, large fingers aiming to grasp at the teen's throat. Peter back-flipped out of his reach. When he continued towards Peter, the teen, again, jumped but served him a roundhouse kick to the face in the progress.

“He’s probably got more waiting,” Peter warns, pulling his mask on and shedding of his clothes, storing them in his bag, then slipping an arm around MJ’s waist and jumping to the rooftop instead.

He swung them both home and landed on the top of their apartment building. MJ sagged with relief, and Peter pulled his cloths back over his suit (he had patrol soon so he didn’t see the point in taking it off) and hid his mask in the pocket.

“We have to tell Jessica,” Peter says.

“No.” MJ retorts. “She’s scared as it is.”

“Kilgrave knows who you are,” Peter stressed. “Not telling her puts you in more danger.”

“No Peter.” And she marched into the building through the roof door.

Peter sighed.


	16. Tense Situation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> lots 'a cuts

Peter joined his mother and MJ at the dinner table. He wasn’t hungry.

“You two are quiet tonight,” Natasha says, eyeing the pair curiously. “Something happen at the library?”

“No,” MJ replied. “Forgot my book is all.”

“Don’t lie to her.” Peter snapped. Both girls gave Peter a surprised look. “You met Kilgrave and he tried to kidnap you.”

“What?” Natasha asked, her head snapping to MJ.

“So?” The teenage girl hissed back. “He tried to kill you!”

“I can fight back!” Peter scowled. “Something bad would’ve happened to you if I hadn’t gotten there when I did.”

MJ hesitated and Natasha sighed, running her hands over her face. “Michelle, have you told your mother?”

“No, she’s already worried,” MJ muttered.

“If Kilgrave knows about you, then you could be in even more danger. How… how did you even get away from him?”

“Peter can’t be controlled by him.” MJ shrugged.

Natasha looked at the brunette who shrugged in response. “He couldn’t command me like MJ. I don't get it, what is his power? Mind control?”

“Something of the sorts,” Natasha replied. “But you’re immune to it? How?”

Peter shrugged again. “I dunno.”

Natasha sighed. Again. “I’ll call Jessica, see what she thinks.” MJ groaned her displeasure. “You can’t deal with Kilgrave on your own, Michelle,” Natasha says. “Jessica and I are far more handled to deal with it.” 

“I just don’t want Mom stressed out more than she has to be. I can look after myself.” MJ replies.

“I know, but it’s Jessica’s job to worry about you, just like it’s my job to worry about Peter, no matter what you are capable of.” MJ sighs through her nose and nods. “Now, let’s get back to dinner, I’ll contact Jess after.”

* * *

Jessica pulled her phone to her ear, listening to the tone dial.

“What?” Jessica’s voice slurs through the receiver. She’d been drinking. A lot.

“Kilgrave knows about Michelle,” Natasha replied.

“Fuck.” Jessica suddenly seemed sober. “Fuck! I’ll- fuck! How? How could he possibly- wait. How do you know?”

“The kids ran into him at the library.”

“What the fuck is he doing in a library in Queens? Unless…”

“Unless what?”

“He already knew about Michelle… fuck!”

“Jessica?”

“I don’t know who it is, but Kilgrave had someone spying on me, taking photos and shit. I think whoever that is let it slip that I have Michelle. God fuck. How did the kids even get out of that situation?”

“That’s just it! Peter’s immune somehow.”

“Immune?”

“I think it had something to do with the spider bite, altering his DNA or something, but Peter’s apparently unaffected by Kilgrave’s mind control.”

“But…?”

“But, I don’t think Michelle or I am. We’re both liable to Kilgrave’s power, lest he comes here.”

“Shit. I need her out of there. I can’t- I can’t have her go through what I went through. Go- pack your things and go to Trish’s. It’s the safest place I can think off for now.”

“Peter and Michelle still have school, Jess.”

“Fuck, no- just- put them on early holiday or something get them out of there.”

“I’m starting to think I should just home-school Peter instead.”

“Maybe.”

“I’ll get the kids to Trish’s okay? Be safe.”

“Hah. Yeah, right.”

“I mean it, Jessica.”

“I know, I know. You guys be safe too.”

“We’ll try.”

There was a sniffle of the other end of the line. “Keep my baby safe, please.”

“Of course,” Natasha replied. “She’s got Black Widow and Spider-man with her.”

Jessica chuckled. “Yeah, okay. Call me or something when you get there.”

“I will.”

“Good.” Jessica hung up.

“Kids!” Natasha called, banging on their door.

“ ‘s just me.” MJ groans, pushing the door open. “What’s up?”

“Pack your things, we’re going to Trish’s house.”

MJ rolled her eyes, groaned and turned back into Peter’s bedroom.

Natasha turned to her phone again.

**8:28 pm Trish W: You’re bringing the kids over?**

**8:32 pm Паук мама: Yeah, if that’s okay**

**8:32 pm Trish W: Of course! <3**

She swapped contacts.

**8:33 pm Паук мама: When you’re done from patrol, pack your things. We’re going to aunty Trish’s.**

**8:36 pm ребенок паук: Okay. BTW Miles Says Hi.**

**8:36 pm Паук мама: Tell him I said hi back**

**8:36 pm Паук мама: Don’t swing and text ребенок паук**

**8:36 pm ребенок паук: I Won’t.**

**8:37 pm ребенок паук: I Love You Mама <3**

**8:37 pm Паук мама: I love you too ребенок паук <3**

“You ready to leave, Michelle?” Natasha asks, already heaving a duffle bag over her shoulder.

“Jesus, you just have that set?” MJ asked, eyeing the duffle bag suspiciously as she stepped out of Peter’s room.

“Yeah, it’s an emergency bag. Peter has one too.”

“Ah, that makes sense… sort of.”

“Let’s go.”

* * *

Natasha knocked on Trish’s door. It unlocked and the blonde let them inside.

“Hi, Nat.” She greeted, hugging Natasha.

“Long-time no see, Trish,” Natasha replied, returning the hug.

“Michelle! You’re so big! I haven’t seen you in years!” Trish hugged the teen.

“Yep, I missed you too.” MJ squeezed out, practically suffocating in Trish’s grasp.

“Well, make yourselves at home!”

* * *

“So, who’s Kilgrave?” Miles asked.

“Just some guy with mind control powers,” Peter replied with a shrug.

“He don’t sound like _just some guy_.” Miles snarked. “Sounds more like a mass murderer.”

“He is.”

“Oh.”

Peter’s phones vibrated.

**8:33 pm мама вдова: When you’re done from patrol, pack your things. We’re going to aunty Trish’s.**

“Oof.”

“Who is it?”

“My mom.”

“Tell her I said hi.”

**8:36 pm ребенок паук: Okay. BTW Miles Says Hi.**

**8:36 pm мама вдова: Tell him I said hi back**

**8:36 pm мама вдова: Don’t swing and text ребенок паук**

**8:36 pm ребенок паук: I Won’t.**

**8:37 pm ребенок паук: I Love You Mама <3**

**8:37 pm мама вдова: I love you too ребенок паук <3**

“What’s going on?” Miles asked.

“I’m going to my aunts after patrol.”

“You said Kilgrave can control minds, yeah?”

“Yeah.”

“But he can’t control yours?”

“Yeah.”

“Why’s that?”

“I’m assuming radiation from the spider bite,” Peter replied.

“Doesn’t that mean I’m immune as well?”

“Probably.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Translation:  
мама вдова - mama widow


	17. 99 Friends (part 1)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Trish is a scared angel

Peter steadied his duffle bag over his shoulder as he swung into Hell’s Kitchen. Mostly he was hoping the _Devil of Hell’s Kitchen_ didn’t take it as a personal invade of his territory when Spider-man was found there. He’d heard the Devil was brutal in his attacks.

Peter made his way to a tall building via the address Natasha had sent him and landed casually on the balcony, knocking on the glass door.

“Hey, Pete.” Michelle greets, opening the door for him. Peter tugs his mask off and snorts at her.

“Hey.”

“Peter!” A blonde woman greets with a bit too much enthusiasm. “It’s been a while.”

“Hi, aunty Trish.” Peter waved, shaking his head to get his hair from sticking up from the motion of pulling his mask off. “How are you?”

“Oh, fine, fine.” That was definitely a lie. “How’s the superhero business treating you?”

“Good,” Peter replied. “I haven’t died yet.”

Trish chuckles and pulls Peter into a hug. “It’s good to see you, Pete.”

“It’s good to see you too, Aunty Trish.”

“Peter.” He perks up at his name and hugs Natasha, the older woman comfortably kneading her fingers through his hair.

“Hey, мама.”

“Are they always like this?” Trish whispered to MJ.

“Yep.” The teen replied. “I honestly don’t think it’s healthy to be that close.”

“You just don’t understand love!” Peter quipped, making Natasha chuckle.

“I wish I had something like that as a kid,” Trish says.

* * *

Peter woke up the next morning to someone pounding on the door and Trish talking discretely into her phone.

“Kilgrave sent that, that cop back to kill me. There's two of them, and they're right outside.” Trish whispered.

“Go to your safe room. I'm on my way.” Jessica’s voice filters through the phone only picked up by Peter’s enhanced hearing.

“Peter.” Trish blinks in surprise. “You’re awake! Follow me.” Trish leads him to a safe room where Natasha and MJ already sat.

“You’re up late,” MJ comments dryly.

“You noticed,” Peter replied. “What’s happening?”

“Kilgrave sent some cop to kill Trish the other day and now he’s got back up,” Natasha replied, twirling a knife in her hand.

Peter looked from Natasha to Trish. “You literally have a superhero and an assassin, why are we hiding?” he asked.

“So Kilgrave doesn’t find out and use that against Mom.” MJ deadpanned. “Jeez, get with the program, Pete.”

“Hey, Sarge, the doorman doesn't have the key. He said it's some kind of reinforced security door.” One of the officer’s drawls.

“Get the ram.” The Sargent replies.

“They’re gonna break the door down,” Peter says.

“There’s Jessica.” Trish motions to the balcony Peter had landed on the night before. She jogs over to unlock the door. Natasha tugged her knife out protectively and Peter and MJ stood tense as Jessica walked over towards the door. “They're still here,” Trish says to Jessica.

Outside, the Sargent is trying to break the door down with a battering ram.

“Everybody clear the hall, please.” The officer calls to the other hall travellers. “You sure there's a body in there?”

“Wait,” Peter says, raising an arm. “I don’t think he’s here to kill you.”

“You can hear them?” Natasha asks. Peter nods.

“I’m sure.” The sergeant replies.

“Kilgrave didn't send him back,” Jessica confirms, looking at the screen beside the door.

“Then why is he trying to break down my door?” Trish asks.

“He thinks he killed you. I recognize that look.” Jessica cracks the door open before the sergeant could ram into it again.

“It's you.” The officer says in disbelief.

“Um, sarge, that's not Trish Walker.” The officer says as if the sergeant didn’t realise.

“No, no, this is the one who-.”

“Sorry, we had our headphones in. We’re helping Trish make a party mix. Everything okay?” Jessica cuts in.

“You're with… Ms Walker?” the sergeant asks.

“Yes, she's with me. This is my apartment.” Trish says, opening the door wider so everyone could be seen. The sergeant’s eyes scanned over Peter and MJ at the back curiously.

“Are you all right ma'am?” the officer behind the sergeant asks.

“I’m fine,” Trish replies.

“Any violent incidents we should know about? Anybody try to hurt you?” the officer continues.

“I think I would know if I'd been attacked.” Trish quipped.

“We're real sorry for the disturbance, Ms Walker. Uh, by the way, really big fan of your show back in the day.” He starts to sing. “It's Patsy! I really wanna be your friend-.”

“That's sweet, thanks for watching.” She goes to close the door but the sergeant taps it and she pauses.

“We gotta go Sarge.” The officer says.

“Oh, uh, wait, I... I don't understand. No, no, no.” the sergeant was confused.

“Hey, Sergeant, take it easy.” The officer says, taking the sergeants arm in an attempt to drag him away.

“You gotta tell me what's going on. Tell me what's happening.” The sergeant snapped.

“Hey, come on man, leave the lady alone.”

“It's fine, he can stay,” Jessica says, waving the background officer off. The other officer leaves. Trish looks worried.

“I mean; how can you be standing here? How can you be alright?” the sergeant asked. Trish unwinds her scarf, revealing multiple bruises on her neck.

“I am not alright!” she shuddered.

“Aunt Trish.” MJ cut in. “The fuck?” Peter elbowed her.

“Trish, come on.” Jessica pulled her back and sent MJ a well-deserved glare.

“I'm... I'm a goddamn monster.” The sergeant says, his body trembling as he turned to walk back to the elevator. Trish goes to close the door, but Jessica pushed past and closes it behind her as she confronts the sergeant. Natasha followed.

“What the fuck?” Peter hissed. “You didn’t tell us about this!”

“I didn't want to worry you, kids,” Trish replied. Peter made wild gestures to Trish’s neck, himself, the door and Natasha outside on the security monitor.

“Worry us?!” He demands.

“Well, yeah-.”

“No!” MJ snapped. “No-no, no! That’s not good! How’d he even get in?”

“I… let him in.”

“You did what?” Peter questioned, giving his aunt an incredulous look.

“He’s a legit officer, I didn’t know Kilgrave sent him to kill me!” Trish reasoned.

“Oh my god.”


	18. 99 Friends (part 2) / Semper Fidelis

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jessica: (╯°□°）╯︵ ┻━┻

The group stood in Trish’s recording room. She’s about to go live to apologise to Kilgrave about something she said on her talk show. Jessica thinks it’d get her off his hit list.

“And we're live in three, two...” The assistant signalled for Trish to start.

“Hi, I'm Trish walker, and this is _Trish Talk_. During my last broadcast, I made some... Flippant and disrespectful comments about a certain individual.” Trish says, reading off a small paragraph. “I was out of line by belittling this man, and ignorant of my own limitations in challenging him. He is a very fascinating and powerful man, deserving of respect, and to that end, if he's listening, and I think he is... I want to apologize. I hope he forgives me.”

MJ scoffed in annoyance.

* * *

“I need a shower.” Trish groans, the group walking down the street.

“Saying the words doesn't make it true. Remember acting? It's how you won that award.” Jessica says, blatantly ignoring Trish’s displeasure.

“My mom blew half the jury to get me that award. It might not have been about my acting.” Trish quips.

“Ew, the fuck?” MJ asks. Trish shakes her head.

“Kilgrave knows you're afraid of him, and that's all he cares about,” Natasha says.

“Men and power, it's seriously a disease.” Trish grunts. Jessica stops walking. “I mean, super-powered man, but...” Trish notices that Jessica has stopped walking and stops too. “Jess?”

Jessica is looking at a man with a camera pointed at her, who is taking photos. Jessica walks towards him, only to realize he's taking pictures of someone else.

“Jess? Jess, are you okay?” Natasha asks, eyeing the man as she placed a comforting hand on Jessica’s shoulder.

“Yeah, I just thought I... Saw someone I knew.” Jessica replied with a distracted look.

“Yeah, no Teen Choice Award for you. Talk.” Trish cuts in.

“Kilgrave's been surveilling her. Taking pictures.” Peter supplied. “That’s why MJ was staying with us.”

“Why?” Trish asks.

“I don't know. So he can record me imploding as he tortures me? The spy could be anyone or everyone. It's been going on for weeks. I had no idea.” Jessica says. “It’s how he knew of Michelle.”

“Just breathe, okay? He isn't here now.” Trish says to a slightly hyperventilating Jessica Jones.

“Yeah, well, he's always here.” Jessica hisses, fast walking away.

“Mom!” MJ calls, following behind. Trish sighs and the rest of the group follows behind.

“She’s just paranoid, Michelle,” Trish says, placing a hand on the teen's shoulder. “Let her deal with this on her own.”

MJ shrugs Trish’s hand off her shoulder and continues to follow Jessica.

“MJ!” Peter calls.

“No.” the female hisses. “I’m not leaving her to do this alone.”

“I’ll go with you, then,” Peter replied, looking back to Natasha. Somehow she knew what he was asking and nodded her consent as she turned to console Trish.

“Fine.” MJ spat through her teeth. Peter smiled and followed.

“What’re you two doing?” Jessica asked when they finally caught up.

“Staying with you,” MJ replied in a similar tone. Peter just smiled innocently up at Jessica.

She sighed. “Fine.”

“God, you two are so alike.”

“What?”

“Nothing.”

Natasha dropped Peter’s clothes off at Jessica’s apartment later.

MJ was asleep on the trundle bed they had underneath Jessica’s bed because that’s how goddamn small the apartment is. Jessica was at her desk deleting photos and Peter was in his Spider-man outfit.

“I’ll be back in a few hours.” He tells Jessica.

“Before four am. Natasha will have my head on a stick if you’re out later than that.”

“Will do,” Peter replies before pulling his mask on and jumping into the night.

Peter was travelling across Hell’s Kitchen in an attempt to get out to Queens for patrol. And he heard a pained grunt. So he took a detour.

He dropped into the alleyway and watched slightly stunned by the red-clad figure beating up a group of men. He decided to help because that one guy was trying to shoot him and Daredevil doesn’t have a gun.

“Good job.” Was all the Devil said before punching a man square in the face and all the men were knocked out. They looked like guards anyways. “Who’re you?”

_ Had he not heard of him? _

“S-spider-man.” Peter stuttered out. The Devil was silent for a moment.

“Don’t you work in Queens?”

“T-temporary change in housing for family safety,” Peter replied as professionally as could. “I was heading back to Queens to patrol though.”

The Devil nods. “This man-” He gestured to the one groaned beside them. “Is a lead for something I was investigating, so thanks. I guess.”

“No problem,” Peter replied. A woman dressed in black with a katana joined them.

“You didn't wanna help?” The Devil asked.

“You didn’t want me too.” She replied with a foreign accent. “Who’s he in the red tights?”

“Spider-man.” The Devil replied. “And he’s going back to Queens.”

“Yes, sir.” He didn’t need to be told twice.

* * *

Jessica slammed Hogarth’s door open, the kids on her tail and the assistant, Pam, scowling at them.

“Puppy killers.” Hogarth glared at Jessica as she spoke into her phone.

“We can come in at half.” Peter heard a man hiss back through the receiver.

“She won't wait. She wouldn't listen.” Pam tells her boss.

“I couldn't hear you over that print.” Jessica sneers.

“Larry, let me call you back.” Hogarth hangs up and Pam leaves. “That was a potential fifty-million-dollar settlement. Now I have to ramp him back up.”

“Oops.” She wasn’t sorry. “I need to know if your firm represents Audrey Eastman. She says she's with Desmond Tobey.”

“Well, then you should be invading Tobey's office,” Hogarth replied. “And what are these, your bodyguards?”

“No, my kid and nephew,” Jessica replies with a shake of her head. Hogarth gapes at her. “And I did. Are ‘_attorney-client privilege_’ the only words that he knows? He wouldn't even tell me if he referred her to me.”

“What's going on? You're on edge.”

“The last people referred to me wound up dead in my elevator. If Audrey Eastman follows the same path, she won't be able to pay her legal bills.”

“She is a client, I'll confirm that.”

“And do you trust him? Tobey?”

“He's a partner.”

“That’s not an answer.”

“He's handling my own divorce, so yes, I trust him.”

“Okay, good, that's all I need to know.”

“You need to pull yourself together. You are coming across distinctly paranoid.”

“Everyone keeps saying that. It's like a conspiracy.”

Jessica leaves, the teenagers following.

“She’s divorcing her wife?” MJ asked.

“Wendy found out Hogarth was cheating with the assistant.”

“Pam?”

“That’s the one.”

“Huh.”

* * *

Jessica and the teens were crouched high up in an alleyway, stalking Audrey Eastman. Jessica’s phone vibrates and she answers it.

“I'm working.” Jessica deadpans.

“What if the apology didn't work?” Trish’s voice filters through.

“Then I'll deal with it. Look, I'm with a client right now. Sort of.”

“How can you trust any client after what happened with Hope's parents?”

“I don't. Which is why we’ve been following her since dawn.”

“Following who?”

“A jealous wife.”

“With the kids?”

“They’re surprisingly cooperative.”

“Jess, come on, I need the distraction.”

“Fine. A jewellery designer. Audrey Eastman.”

“Overpriced, chunky, enamel stuff? Well, if she is mind-controlled, that would explain some of her jewellery.”

“It's not like she needs the money. Her parents died and left her a fortune, but all she does is work.”

“Cheating husband. She's compartmentalizing.”

“Useful skill.”

“How will you know if she's Kilgraved?”

“Yeah, I wanna know that too.” Peter chimed in. Jessica glared at him.

“His effect has limits.”

“Right. Time and distance. But you can't follow her forever.”

“I've never seen his voodoo last longer than ten hours, twelve tops. If he doesn't show soon, I'll... do the job and take pictures of the cheater with his pants around his ankles. Nothing plays like pictures.”

"Don't do that with the kids."

"They know what pussy and dick look like."

"That's not the point."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Semper Fidelis = Always Faithful in Latin. It's the tittle of the Daredevil episode scene. (Episode 7 FYI)


	19. 99 Friends (part 3)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> boblin goblin, that's not my problem

“Yeah?”

“You still wanna help catch Kilgrave?” Peter asked.

“Who are you?”

“Do you want to or not?”

“Yes.”

“It's a little illegal.”

“Answer's still yes.”

“Can you get us a police surveillance video?”

“Who are you looking for?”

“Jessica Jones. Kilgrave's got somebody tailing her, feeding him pictures. Police footage will show who's around her.

“Yeah, well, we have cameras all over the city. You got times, dates, locations?”

“Texting them to you now.”

“I got your six.”

Peter hung up, and Jessica scoffed beside him. “_Got my six_.”

Audrey leaves her work building and Jessica follows, hardly making sure the teens were following. They hid behind a car to continue spying.

“If Audrey Eastman is controlled by Kilgrave, it's going to wear off soon. He'll need to re-up.” Jessica says.

Audrey unlocks a shady, abandoned building, and goes inside. It looks to be an abandoned bar. She lays her things on the bar and turns on a speaker system. Loud rock music starts playing. 

“Huh, _Always On_.” MJ muses. “From _Death and Above_.”

Audrey takes a gun out of her purse. The triad jump up onto a dumpster to get a better view inside of the building. They see Audrey, with mufflers on, shooting. Jessica curses and breaks the lock on the back door to sneak in. Jessica gets a needle ready for whatever reason she hadn’t explained for the kids understanding. Audrey has several female dummies set up to practice shooting.

“Thirteen hours and no Kilgrave, but... She's planning to use that on someone. Maybe the wandering penis?” MJ whispers.

“Oh, god,” Peter replied.

The group leaves as Audrey continues shooting.

* * *

Many people are in line at the lobby where Jessica’s boss was.

“Name, address, daytime phone, medical history, including any visits to a psychiatric facility. Next.” Pam goes through what was probably the same work every day with a dull tone. She sees Jessica and gestures for her to go meet Hogarth.

“Your text said it was urgent,” Jessica says.

“It is,” Hogarth replied.

“Yet there's no gun to your head. I don't like being summoned.”

“Quelle surprise. I have a job for you.”

“Who are all these people?” Peter asks.

Hogarth sighs. “Must these children chaperone you everywhere?” She asked Jessica.

“They’re helping me with Kilgrave,” Jessica replies.

“They claim they were mind-controlled by Kilgrave. You should have seen the ones we turned away.”

“Maybe some of them are legit.” MJ cuts in.

“Oh, please. The Trish Talk interview turned him into the most popular alibi in the city.” Hogarth snapped.

“You bought Dr Kurata's kidney story, why not at least talk to them?” Jessica asks.

“Because I don't have time for this right now. Because I have bigger problems, okay? Wendy has decided to make this divorce very difficult for me, and I need dirt on her.”

“That's why you called me? I have a gun-toting client, a spy to find-.”

“You owe me a favour.” Hogarth cut in, leading Jessica to a holding room.

“You were married to her. You already have dirt.”

“She didn't know mine.”

“Well, you're sneaky. That doesn't mean she is.”

“I didn't say it would be easy. God.”

“Fine. Later. Who's first?”

A number of heads in the room turn to look at Jessica. Cue a montage of Jessica and Hogarth filming interviews with potential victims of Kilgrave.

“Start at the beginning.”

“I went into 7-Eleven for a bag of Doritos, you know? And then this Chinese dude comes in, and his eyes were all red and glowing, and I was like, Dude!”

Hogarth rolls her eyes.

“My Lucy is a nice girl. A virgin. Tell them. Go ahead.”

A visibly pregnant teenager sits down.

“Kilgrave made me do it. He's our gardener.”

Jessica listens incredulously.

“He landed on Jones Beach. I thought it was a meteor. But then, a man came out of the waves.”

Cut to a woman with bandages on her hands.

“He lived with me for two days. He made me play my cello for him until I made a mistake.”

Cut back to the first guy.

“He didn't even talk, man! He just like, stared at me with his freaky glowing eyes. I was like, 'This dude is making me wanna jack this place.' I pulled out my gun...”

Cut to another woman.

“I couldn't stop smiling. He wouldn't let me.”

Cut to the pregnant teen.

“He said, _You want me bad_. And then I did want him. Bad.”

“And not just Lucy. All the girls in the neighbourhood. When he speaks, they spread their legs. Evil man.”

Cut to another man.

“He gave me a purple staff, and made me slide it up my...”

Jessica's eyes widen.

“He had dreads.” Fake.

“Bald.” Fake.

“Dark hair.” Possible.

“He wore a white dress shirt.” Possible.

“Intense eyes.”

“And a tie.”

“A red T-shirt. I think.” Fake.

“He never wears a shirt. He's hot.” The teen was lying.

“I was waiting for the L train. And he said, uh, _Nice jacket. You wanna give it to me, right?_ And I said,_ Yeah_. And, like an asshole, I handed it over. Now, I know it's not the same as killing my parents, but... It was Zegna. That limey cocksucker owes me five grand.”

“Limey?” Jessica asks.

“Yeah, he had an accent. He's British.”

Peter and MJ exchanged nervous looks. “Get up.” Jessica hisses.

“I'm telling the truth!”

“Get up.” Jessica gets up and looks the man over. “Put him on the list.” Cut to a conference room. Jessica addresses a group of people. “Talk amongst yourselves. Exchange info. Thanks.” Jessica leaves the room.

“What was that about?”

“We're starting a band,” Jessica replies sarcastically. “I told them to keep in touch. Talk.”

“You starting a support group? Will you be participating?”

“Like I'd waste my time circle-jerking with a bunch of whiners.” Jessica begins walking away.

“Yes, you are a paragon of mental health.”

Jessica comes back.

“I'm using them, Hogarth. I wanna know everything they did with him, everywhere they went, every word that was said, particularly about me, and what the hell he's gonna do next.”

“Kilgrave wanted a leather jacket, live cello music, and the flattering smile of a pretty girl. What a waste. He could solve so many problems with his gift.”

“Gift?” MJ sneers.

“I just meant if... If he was on our side.”

“What side would that be? The side that uses people? Treats them like animals?” Peter put a hand on MJ’s shoulder and pulled her back from spiting in the older woman’s face.

“Jessica, do not take this out on me,” Hogarth says as if MJ was speaking _for_ Jessica.

“Just to throw them away like they're garbage? The side that rips your life apart and destroys you from the inside out? Whose side exactly would that be?” But Jessica and MJ were too alike.

Jessica punches a nearby door, cracking the glass. She leaves with the kids on her tail.


	20. 99 Friends (part 4)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> bang bang, bitch

Peter went out to patrol in Queens again, so it was just MJ and Jessica now. It was cold outside, but the girls waited for their delivery. The sergeant from the day before approaches.

“Hey! Hey, I got your movie. It's thirty hours. Cast of thousands.” He says handing Jessica a tape. She walks into her apartment building.

  
  
“Thanks. I should've got some popcorn.”

  
  
The sergeant follows her into the building.

  
  
“Listen, there's a lot to comb through, but your spy is in there somewhere.” He sees something dark hiding in a corner of the lobby. “Hey! What are you looking at, huh? What the hell are you looking at, huh?” He lifts the person, Jessica’s neighbour, Malcolm, up against the wall.

  
  
“Hey, get off him!” Jessica hisses, pulling the officer away.

  
  
“He's watching!” the sergeant snapped back.

  
  
“Yeah, he's probably watching the ceiling melt.” MJ sneers.

  
  
“He doesn't like me.” Malcolm murmurs.

  
  
“Malcolm, go sleep it off.” Jessica pushes the junkie away, then turns back to the sergeant. “Hey, I got enough to deal with without worrying about you going all search and destroy on me.”

  
  
“I know, I am... I know how to turn it off, I... The paranoia and the panic, I just-.”

  
  
“Listen, there's this... Group of people. They've all been through the same thing, so... If you wanna talk or something, they meet tomorrow night.” The sergeant gives her a weird look. “Yeah, I'm not into it either.”

  
  
“I gotta go.” The sergeant quickly leaves.

  
  
It was early morning now, MJ sleeping in Jessica’s bed with Peter curled into the trundle as Jessica herself sat at her desk watching the tape the sergeant gave her.

  
  
She tries matching up a picture with the video, but the position of the photographer is just out of view.

  
  
“Goddamn it.”

  
  
She pulls up a picture of a black man in a beanie, presumably someone she was close with.

  
  
Jessica sighs and drinks straight from an almost empty bottle of alcohol. She finished it off.

  
  
She stands up, counts some money, grabs the needle (which the teens found out contained Sufentanil), and wandered into her bedroom.

  
  
“Rise and shine.” She called, tugging the blanket off MJ. The loud complaint (and Peter’s enhanced hearing) made the boy bolt up in a flinch, but both trudged out of bed and got ready for the day.

  
  
“Where are we going?” MJ asked in annoyance as Jessica strode purposefully down the street.

  
  
“We’re working on my case,” Jessica replied.

  
  
“The Eastman one?” Peter asked. “Why’d you wake us up for that?”

  
  
“I don’t want you getting Kilgraved while I’m not there.” Jessica hisses. Peter could respect that.

  
  
A little girl steps up onto the sidewalk.

  
  
“Jessica. Are you Jessica?” she asks, making the triad pause.

  
  
“Yeah. Where are your parents?” Jessica asks.

  
  
“Patsy Walker is safe.”

  
  
“What did you say?”

  
  
“You don't have to worry about her, for now.”

  
  
“Who told you that?” Peter asked.

  
  
“The man. He said he liked her apology.” The girl replied.

  
  
“How old are you?” MJ asked.

  
  
“Eight and a half.”

  
  
“I'm sorry that this is happening to you,” Peter says softly.

  
  
The girl suddenly sneered at Jessica, ignoring the teens. “You're a bitch! You could have stopped that bus! You left him there to die in the street, like a goddamn dog.”

  
  
“Stop it,” Peter says with no goddamn authority at all.

  
  
“You turn everything to shit!”

  
  
“Jesus,” Jessica mutters.

  
  
“It's Friday.”

  
  
“What does that mean?”

  
  
“Don't you have a job to do?”

  
  
“Are you talking about Audrey? Did Kilgrave send Audrey? Did he send Audrey? Was he at her target practice?”

  
  
Jessica grabs the little girl by the arm. The girl screams.

  
  
“Mommy! Where's mommy?”

  
  
“It's okay, I'm going to help you find your mom!” Jessica says.

  
  
“Chanise!” An older woman cries.

  
  
“Mommy! She won't let me go!” the girl, Chanise, cried.

  
  
“Sorry! I'm sorry.” Jessica says, letting go so the mother can pick her daughter up.

  
  
“Are you okay? Did she hurt you, baby?”

  
  
“She was lost, we were just trying to help,” Peter says.

  
  
“Stay away from her!” the mother snapped, storming away.

  
  
“Fucking rude bitch.” MJ hisses.

  
  
“The kid was Kilgraved.” Peter reasoned. “He probably told her to react like that. Antagonise Aunt Jess, y’ know?”

  
  
MJ made an annoyed yet complacent face and the triad continued, a bit faster this time.

  


* * *

  
  
They’d been watching Carlo Eastman since that incident earlier. It was dark now. Carlo walks almost calmly as he carries some flowers on the sidewalk, he did check behind him an unnecessary amount but maybe he was just the paranoid type.

  
  
“Audrey was right about her husband. Carlo's clearly not in a hurry to get home.” MJ muses.

  
  
“Cases like this remind me of why I'm single.” Jessica sighs.

  
  
Eventually, Carlo reaches a building and enters.

  
  
“I could storm the gates and get the money shot...” Jessica says.

  
  
“But not if Kilgrave got to Audrey somehow.” Peter reminds her.

  
  
Jessica jumps onto a balcony, Peter helping MJ up. Inside, they see Carlo enter a room.

  
  
“Shit.” Jessica curses.

  
  
She opens a window and sneaks in. They see the silhouette of Carlo and a woman having sex. MJ gags and Peter sticks his tongue out in disgust, the sounds being louder for him. Jessica's phone begins to vibrate. She answers it.

  
  
“Hello?”

  
  
“Hi, it's Audrey Eastman.” Peter suddenly perked up.

  
  
“Yeah, I know.” Jessica groaned.

  
  
“Did you follow him?”

  
  
“I think it’s a setup.” Peter whispers.

  
  
“Wait, what?” Jessica asks, though her response can’t be told between what Peter said or what Audrey asked.

  
  
“Where are you? Jessica? Hello? Jessica? Are you there?” Jessica moves her phone away from her ear and realizes Audrey is in the room with Carlo. “Jessica? Can you hear me? Where - where is Carlo?”

  
  
Jessica throws the doors open.

  
  
“He's three feet to your right, asshole.” Jessica sneers, MJ and Peter standing right behind her, growling.

  
  
Audrey stands up and trains her gun on Jessica. Carlo also stands up.

  
  
“Get her on the plastic.” Audrey snaps.

  
  
“How?” Carlo asks.

  
  
“I have a gun on her for Christ's sake Carlo.” Audrey groaned.

  
  
“She’s got kids with her!” Carlo cries.

  
  
“I don’t care!”

  
  
“You shoot at me, I'll pull the bullet out of my ruined jacket and shove it up your ass with my pinkie finger, and who do you think that's gonna hurt more?” Jessica sneers.

  
  
“You're bulletproof?” Carlo asks. Audrey shoots her in the arm. Jessica yelps. “Jesus!”

  
  
“Mother fucker!” Peter yells as MJ flinches backwards and stares at her mother in shock.

  
  
“Nope, not bulletproof.” Audrey snickers.

  
  
“Audrey, this is insane. Honey, we don't have to do this. We can walk out of here right now.” Carlo tries to reason with his wife, definitely the better of the couple.

  
  
“She doesn't have laser eyes either, or she would have used them,” Audrey adds, blatantly ignoring her husband.

  
  
“Laser eyes? Who said I had laser eyes? Oh, that dick with the Aston Martin. I served him a subpoena.”

  
  
“What did we miss?” Peter asks.

  
  
“Gregory Spheeris. I sell to his wife. They're very talky.” Audrey replies, more to Jessica than Peter.

  
  
“Look, you're obviously pissed off about something, but I'm pretty sure, for the first time, this has nothing to do with Kilgrave.” Jessica snaps, holding her arm.

  
  
“He's smarter than you two.” MJ groans.

  
  
“Kilgrave?” Audrey asks. “Who's Kilgrave? Is he another one of you people? How many more are there like you?”

  
  
“How many more what, private eyes?” MJ hisses.

  
  
“Gifted,” Audrey replies with a scoff. “Stupid word. It's like calling someone special. They're not special, they're retarded. You're not gifted, you're a freak.

  
  
“What have we or the mentally challenged ever done to you?” Peter asked.

  
  
“You saved the city. That's what the newspapers said. You were _heroes_.”

  
  
“Not me.” Jessica retorts.

  
  
“The city was saved,” Audrey says whimsically. Her voice suddenly turned cold. “But I was there. I saw what really happened. I saw my mother crushed to death under a building that you people destroyed.”

  
  
“In the incident?” Peter asked.

  
  
“I was trying to pull my mother out from the rubble, watching her bleed to death, while all around me you people were raining down hell.”

  
  
“So go after the big green guy, or the flag-waver! I wasn't even there!” Jessica yells.

  
  
“Consider it a preventative measure for next time!” Audrey yells.

  
  
MJ pulls the tarp Audrey was standing on out from under her, causing the gun to go flying.

  
  
“You think you're the only ones who've lost people?” Jessica asks coldly.

  
  
Carlo goes for the gun, but Jessica grabs it and throws it into a wall. She begins tearing the room apart.

  
  
“You think you're the only ones with pain? You think you can take your shit and dump it on me? You don't get to do that! So you take your goddamn pain and you live with it, assholes! You lost your parents? Welcome to the goddamn club! I lost mine in some random accident. Do you see me trying to kill every shitty driver? No! Because I don't work my shit out on other people! So keep your goddamn feelings to yourselves! Ninety-nine. You wanted to know how many of us there are? The last time I counted, I had 99 gifted friends in this borough alone. And now every single one of them is gonna know about this shit that you tried to pull. And they hate attempted murder. They really do. The cops hate it too, you know, because it's against the law!”

  
  
“Please don't kill us. We're gonna leave you alone.” Carlo cries, going over to hug his wife and shun her away from Jessica’s growing wrath.

  
  
“There's only one thing that you can do to save yourselves,” MJ says, in a tone dangerously quiet.

  
  
“What?” Audrey asks shakily.

  
  
“Disappear. Nobody, especially me, ever hears from you again. Me and my friends will stop by tomorrow to make sure you heard me.”

  
  
Jessica and the teens leave.

  
  
“I want a divorce.” Peter heard Carlo say as they left. Good for him.


	21. 99 Friends (part 5) / The Sandwich Saved Me (part 1)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Back, walking, on the street. Not givin’ up til we got Kilgrave beat.”

“Back, walking, on the street.” Peter sang. “Not givin’ up til we got Kilgrave beat.”

“Shut the fuck up.” MJ hissed.

Jessica’s phone vibrates and she answers it.

“Hogarth.” She greets.

“I sent more potential victims to your survivor's group.” The lady on the other end of the line says.

“It's not my survivor's group.”

“Maybe it should be. You need to process your trauma.”

“I'm sorry, who is this?”

“Fine. You need to not take your crap out on my glass walls.”

“Put it on my tab.”

“When are you planning to pay that off?”

“Not tonight, Hogarth. Not tonight.” She hangs up on Hogarth and enters the restaurant where the survivor's group is meeting. The trio sat listening in on the group.

“Avery was crying because I forgot to put his action figures in the car.” A man says. “He'd been fussy all morning, and in the car, he was just impossible. I lost my temper. Then we hit a red light just south of Herald Square, and Kilgrave just opened the door and got in. Said he liked my car, wanted to ride around. Avery was still crying, but Kilgrave never once looked at him. He just stared straight ahead and said, _You'd like to leave your son, wouldn't you?_ And I said _yes_. I pulled Avery out, put him on the curb, and drove away. I saw him in my rear-view mirror, just weeping on the sidewalk, and I hated myself because... it's what I wanted. I disappeared for a week while I was Kilgrave's chauffeur.”

Jessica looks up.

“I was charged with child abandonment. My wife left me, which, I don't blame her, because-.”

“You drove him for a week? Twenty-four/seven?” Jessica asks.

“Yes, it was a nightmare. I was haunted by-.”

“Where did you drive him?” MJ cut in.

“I'm not sure that's the-.”

“Did he meet anyone in particular? Did anyone deliver pictures to him?” Jessica cut the woman off.

“Um, actually, yeah.” The man says.

“Who?”

“I don't know, I just had to drive Kilgrave to meet the same guy every day at ten am on the dot. He was very punctual.”

“What did he look like?” Peter asked.

“Is this some kind of re-enactment therapy?” a second woman asks.

“Screw therapy.” Jessica hissed. “What did he look like, the guy he met?”

“Well, I never got close, and it was freezing. Everyone's wrapped in tons of layers and hats. He wore a scarf. Blue and white stripes.”

Jessica leaves the restaurant, leaving the kids to follow her. They were back in Jessica’s apartment. She looks through the security camera footage, trying to find someone like the man described.

“There,” MJ says, causing Jessica to pause the video.

“No.” Peter murmurs. “Is that?”

“I can’t be.” MJ whispers.

Jessica stood abruptly and went over to Malcolm’s apartment, snapping the lock off. Entering, she found printed pictures of herself.

“God damn it,” MJ whispered.

“Is that his mom?” Peter asks, pointing towards a photo on the wall.

Jessica starts to tear up.

* * *

Malcolm walks in the park. Jessica and the kids follow closely behind. They watch as Malcolm goes to a tree. Jessica notices a woman walk over and say something to Malcolm, who then wanders off. Jessica walks over to the woman.

“Excuse me, excuse me. What did you just tell that man?”

“Sorry, I'm late.” The woman replied, attempting to leave.

“Please, I'm just trying to help a friend.”

the woman sighed. “I told him to go to the kiosk on 16th, off Park.”

“Why?”

“Some British guy said to find the man wearing a blue and white scarf and... I don't have time for this.” The woman walks away.

Jessica goes in the direction Malcolm went. The triad watch Malcolm meet Kilgrave at a small bookstand. The man there is addressing Kilgrave.

The man picks up a mug of steaming coffee. He throws the coffee in his own face and begins screaming. The influence of Kilgrave, definitely.

Peter gasps. Kilgrave and Malcolm walk away. Some women come over to check on the man.

* * *

Jessica sits in her apartment, on her phone.

“Check your damn messages, Trish. I know what he's doing. I mean, how he's meeting. Whatever. Call me.”

She hangs up, then takes a swig of Whiskey. She tosses it to the trash but it breaks. She cleans up some of the glass.

Someone knocks on the door, and she looks up. “Who is it?”

“Your neighbour, Ruben.” A young male voice replies.

She walks over and opens the door.

“I heard a crash and got worried about you. Everything okay?” Reuben asks, he was holding a plate with bread on it.

“We’re fine,” Jessica replies.

“Oh, me and my sister have been baking all day. I brought you some banana bread. Don't tell her, okay? Do you like banana bread?”

“No.” She takes the bread and closes the door. Ruben watches through the glass. “It’s actually not that bad.” Jessica muses, offering the plate to the teens.

“Oooh! Thanks.” Peter says, taking the plate. MJ picks off the bread but doesn't comment on it.

* * *

“Trish, it's me. What the hell, Trish, the doorman told me you're home!” Jessica calls, banging on Trish’s door. Peter sticks his tongue out in a gag.

“Can you come back later?” Trish asks.

“Please?” Peter asks.

“Later? You said you wanted to help Malcolm. It's time to put on your cape.”

Trish opens the door in a bathrobe.

“We'll never know where Malcolm is going to meet Kilgrave because he compels someone at the last minute to tell Malcolm where to go,” Jessica says, barging into Trish’s home.

“Kilgrave's taking precautions because he knows you're on to Malcolm?” Trish asks.

“No, or Malcolm would be dead. But he's not gonna let me sneak upon him. So I need to deliver the Sufentanil with a long-range dart gun.”

The sergeant from earlier comes out of Trish's bedroom wearing just underwear.

“It won't work if he's on the move.” He says.

Jessica turns around to see Simpson.

“You poor thing,” MJ whispers to Peter. He just nods solemnly.

“A long-range sniper attack takes setup. Your subject needs to be in a predetermined location, preferably removed from civilians.” The sergeant continued.

“So I guess you're over him trying to kill you and all,” Jessica says to Trish.

“It'll take a pistol, up close and personal. He'll be dead before he hits the ground.” The sergeant says, ignoring the comment.

“I need him alive, Rambo. I'll keep him doped up, I just need a place to stash him.” Jessica snaps.

“A bullet to the head is more effective.”

“Not for the girl who's sitting in prison, taking the blame for his murders. Without proof that he exists, she's done. And that's on me. So this is my call! My call.”

“Look, whatever abilities you have, I'm guessing they don't include rendition, exfiltration, and isolation of enemy combatants.”

“He's a war hero,” Trish says.

“He's also the guy who was filled with remorse about attacking you until he decided to turn it into a booty call.”

“That is not what happened.” The sergeant says.

“And that is not your business, Jess!” Trish adds.

“As long as I don't have to work with him. I need you to rent a van and drive.” Jessica ignores the sergeant.

“You still don't have a license? What is it with you and cars?” Trish asks.

“Wait, Trish is the driver?” the sergeant asks.

“I'm in.”

“No, no, no. One of my boys from my old unit will drive.” The sergeant says.

“The hell he will!” MJ cut in.

“But we need someone who's trained.” The sergeant argues. “not a talk radio host, and definitely not two teenagers who don’t know what they’re getting into.”

“Hey, last night was fun, but that doesn't mean I want your opinion.” Trish scolds.

“Uh, yeah, about that.” Peter starts. “Where is my mom?”

“I think she went shopping? Or maybe she’s with your uncle, I don’t know, I was distracted.” Trish says dismissively.

“By dick?” MJ asked.

Trish's cell phone rings. “You behave.” She says sternly. “Oh. Damn it. I have to be on the air in an hour. You know what? Screw it, I'll cancel.”

“No, things have to appear normal to Kilgrave.” Jessica denies.

“I can help!” the sergeant says.

“Thanks, but we don't need you!” Jessica retorts.

“Uh, yeah, you do!” 

“No, they don’t.” Trish snaps at him, before turning to Jessica. “But seriously, he could be useful.” Nobody says anything for a moment. “Okay, great! So, call me later and fill me in on the plan.”

Trish leaves.

“I'll just grab some pants.” The sergeant says.

“Good call.” MJ sneers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, Peter could hear Trish and Simpson (the sergeant) having sex.


	22. The Sandwich Saved Me (part 2)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> planning to capture
> 
> ;)

Simpson, the name of the sergeant, is driving along a road with Jessica and the teens. It was dark out.

“You'll have to come in close,” Jessica says.

“A dart gun's accurate up to twenty feet,” Simpson replied.

“He'll always keep his back to a wall. He'll see you coming.” Jessica retorts.

“He won't see me,” Simpson replied with a laugh. 

“If you're so great, why'd they let you out of Spec Ops?” MJ asks.

“It's classified.”

“Of course it is.” Jessica rolled her eyes.

They arrive in what looks to be an abandoned facility.

“This is a safe house?” Peter asks. “It looks like a seventies furniture outlet.”

Simpson parks the car.

“The second floor is a decommissioned CDC facility. One of my boys was their investigator. Held some patient zeros here. It has a hermetically sealed room.”

“You know a lot of commando shit.” Jessica deduced.

“Yep.”

“But you don't know anything when it comes to Kilgrave.”

“Right.”

“Wrong.”

“Right, meaning I don't know.”

“Anything. You don't know anything.”

“I don't know anything.”

“What just happened?” Peter asked MJ.

“I think they both had a stroke talking to each other,” MJ replied.

“Just show me this hermetically sealed room.” Jessica hisses.

“No, I do know one thing,” Simpson says.

“Oh, Christ.”

Jessica gets out of the car and walks inside the facility.

“I know that tomorrow is too soon to move on Kilgrave.” He says, flicking the lights on. “An exfil takes planning.”

“I have a plan. Plus, Kilgrave knows I have the photos. He knows I'll figure out it's Malcolm.” Jessica retorts.

“Yeah, true. You know, I figured out it was Malcolm.” Simpson brags.

“You dismissed him just like we did.” MJ spat.

“Well, all the more reason not to go in half-assed.” The sergeant replied.

They arrive at the hermetically sealed room. Simpson knocks on the glass.

“It's soundproof, too. Nothing gets in or out. I can rig a safeguard, but I need till the day after tomorrow. And that's a Sunday. It's a commercial area. It'll be dead. No witnesses.”

“Fine, day after tomorrow.” Jessica concedes.

“Good. You just get me close enough to dart him and grab him up.”

“You dart him, I grab him up,” Jessica growls.

“A woman running an unconscious man through Union Square to a van... That's not conspicuous at all.”

“Not if I'm quick.”

Simpson opens a door. They go into a smaller room on the side that leads to the sealed room.

“Someone might try to stop you to help.”

“How fast is your mile?”

“Six minutes.”

“Under four.” Jessica smiles in fake innocence at the sergeant.

“Fine. You grab him up.”

“Just go inside.”

Simpson opens the door into the sealed room and goes inside.

“Listen, once he's in here, he'll become-.”

Jessica closes the door behind him. His voice is cut off. She walks outside to observe him. Outside, the teens can only see his mouth moving. There is no sound at all.

“-can you? You can't hear me, huh? Anything?” Simpson asked.

“I can hear him.” Peter shrugs.

“I can’t,” MJ replied.

“Peter can’t be controlled by Kilgrave so it’s fine.” Jessica retorts. “You G.I. Joe. You definitely have a screw loose. I'm guessing you left the military because you gunned down a small village.”

“So, what, you think because you have these abilities you're a hero? I've seen heroes. You're not even close.” Simpson says, obviously not hearing Jessica either.

Simpson and Jessica both give each other thumbs up.

“That hurt to witness,” Peter says softly. MJ snorts.

* * *

** ** ** _Jessica had a flashback here that justifies the title of the episode but because it’s not Jessica’s PoV I’ll just say she saved a little girl dressed as a sandwich and the girl says “I was saved by the sandwich” so yeah_ **

* * *

Jessica and the teens get into the elevator. They see Malcolm passed out of the floor and Peter tries to shake him awake.

Ruben steps in. “Is he alive?”

Jessica just nods. The elevator door closes.

“We should take him to the hospital. Maybe they'll put him into rehab.” Ruben says.

“He's better off in his own bed,” Jessica replies.

“He might OD.”

“I'm taking him home.”

They stand in awkward silence for a few moments.

“Who’s the boy?” Ruben asks.

“Peter.” Said teen replies, giving Ruben a small smile. Ruben smiled back.

There’s another silence.

“You wanna go to a movie some time?”

Jessica just stares at him.

* * *

Malcolm is asleep in bed. Jessica walks over and kneels beside him. He moves his head a little bit but doesn't wake up. Jessica sighs.

“Watch him.” She says. Peter nods, MJ shrugs and Jessica leaves, closing the door, which wakes him up.

"What the-?”

“You were knocked out of the elevator floor,” Peter says. “Aunt Jessica brought you back up.”

“Aunt Jessica.” Malcolm snorts, rolling back into his bedsheets. “She actually accepts being called that?”

“Kids.” Jessica walks back into the room. “Hope just called, I’m gonna go meet her, okay?”

“Yeah, see you soon, mom.” MJ nods.

“Bye, Aunt Jess.”

Jessica looks at Malcolm and nods slightly before leaving again. Malcolm sighs.

The teens migrated over to Jessica’s apartment after Malcolm fell asleep again and set about doing their own things.

Jessica came back a little while later.

“What happened?” MJ asked.

“Hope asked for money.” Jessica shrugged. “That was pretty much it.”

* * *

“Hello?” Peter answered, almost losing his balance mid-swing.

“Hey, pequeña araña.” A rough voice greets. Peter beamed beneath his mask.

“Tia Rosa! Hey!”

“Natalia called us earlier,” Rosa says. “Kilgrave is back?”

“Yeah, he’s made this girl kill her parents ‘n Aunt Jess made this support group for legit victims.”

“The doesn’t sound like Jessica.” Rosa muses.

“That’s why she doesn’t really attend. She only goes for information about what Kilgrave might be doing.”

“Don’t forget, the Brooklyn nine-nine got your back.”

“I know, Tia Rosa.”

“Good, do you want to talk to Amy and Jake?”

“Yeah!”

“Hey, baby!” a softer female voice comes through.

“Tia Amy.”

“And Uncle Jake!” A male voice comes through. “How you doin’ man? God, you should really visit the precinct sometime, we miss ya’.”

“Yeah, especially after that fiasco in Sokovia, estúpido robot lastimando a mi bebé araña.” Amy murmurs the last part into the receiver.

“Last I checked, Natalia was the only one who called him _baby__spider_.” Rosa’s voice snickers in the background.

“Shut up, Rosa,” Amy replied.

Peter snickers. “I’ll stop by soon; you guys all work day shift so I’ll see what I can do.”

“We love you, pequeña araña,” Amy says in a soft tone.

“I love you guys too, talk to you later.”

“BYE BYE!” Jake yells in a true Markiplier fashion as Peter hangs up.

Peter smiles and swings into the night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Translation:  
pequeña araña - little spider  
estúpido robot lastimando a mi bebé araña - stupid robot hurting by spider baby
> 
> It feels better, Rosa calling Natasha "Natalia" so yeah. Deal with it.


	23. A Sandwich Saved Me (part 3)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> *boss music starts*
> 
> "What the fuck is that?"

Jessica sits cross-legged on her desk, the teens waiting around warily. They hear a door open and close. Jessica gets up and goes into the hallway, where Malcolm is walking to the elevator. He drops his keys. Jessica steps up with the teens and hits the elevator button.

“Going down?” MJ asks.

“Thanks.” Malcolm grunts.

They all get into the elevator and Jessica stares intently at Malcolm. He's visibly uncomfortable.

“Aunt Jess.” Peter whispers and her gaze eases up. They all get off of the elevator and walk out of the complex. Malcolm hurries in one direction.

“Hey. Hang in there.” Jessica calls. Malcolm freezes, rooted to the spot.

“Yeah, you too.” He answered, hastily making his exit.

After a few moments, the trio makes their way in the same direction.

Cut to her picking up a bunch of syringes. She, Simpson, Trish and the kids are in the van. Trish is wearing a hat and sunglasses. Jessica has a hoodie on. MJ and Peter are wearing “date” clothes. Simpson hands them all Bluetooth headsets.

“These are dialled into the conference number.” He says.

“Hello? Can you hear me?” Trish asks into hers.

“Check,” Peter replies.

“Get the van as close as you can,” Jessica says.

“On it,” Trish replies.

“Yeah, just don't let anyone see you.” Simpson cautions.

“And you're gonna have to haul ass to the sealed room before he wakes up,” MJ adds.

“Got it.” Trish snaps.

“If anyone walks up, just pretend to be on the phone. Do not engage.” Simpson warns.

“She's a celebrity,” Peter speaks up. “She's used to dealing with weirdos.”

“Usually,” Jessica adds.

“Yeah, well, she's dealt with you all these years, so...”

“Okay, let's go back to tense silence, I think.” Trish cuts in.

After a few moments, Jessica breaks the tense silence.

“It's time.”

Jessica and Simpson get out of the van and begin walking. Peter and MJ exit a second later and make it seem like they’re a young couple on a date, hands clasped together and smiling.

“If Kilgrave gets me-.” Jessica’s voice came through the com.

“I'll take you out,” Simpson replied.

“I was gonna say dart gun me, but sure, shoot me in the head.”

“Same here.” The sergeant agrees.

Some kids in the park run around playing. One is wearing a Captain America costume. Malcolm walks towards the tree in the park. Peter and MJ keep their eye in his general direction.

“Is everyone in position?” Jessica asks.

“I'm ready,” Trish says.

“Standing by.” Simpson chimes.

“We’re good.” Peter nods, despite the action being pointless.

A man approaches Malcolm and says something to him. Malcolm takes off from the tree.

“Here we go,” Jessica says.

Peter and MJ discretely follow Malcolm to a nearby restaurant, where Kilgrave is sitting.

“He's exiting the park at Sixteenth Street. Outdoor cafe, Sixteenth Street and Union Square West.” MJ says.

“I'll park at the corner, a half block down,” Trish replies.

The teens watch the transaction being made between Malcolm and Kilgrave. Trish drives past and parks nearby. Simpson approaches on the sidewalk, his hand with the dart gun hidden in a paper bag. Suddenly a balloon at a balloon vendor's stand pops. Kilgrave and Malcolm look up in response. Simpson is approaching from the same direction.

“Shit. Turn back.” Jessica’s voice warns.

“I'm almost in position,” Simpson replied/

“No, he's looking right at you. If he sees the gun...” Peter replied curtly.

“I have a shot, I'm taking it.”

Jessica, with little time, walks towards Kilgrave, yelling with her hands in the air.

“Hey! Hey, shithead! Over here!”

Kilgrave sees her, shocked. As he's looking at her, Simpson shot at him with the dart gun. He gets up, but falls over, passing out and knocking over a table. Malcolm looks up shocked.

“I'm sorry, I... I had too....” Malcolm runs away.

Some large men come out of the restaurant.

“Excuse me, ma'am, we got this.” He says.

“Hey, hey, sorry,” Jessica replies. She throws the first man on top of the other. “Help, they just attacked my brother!”

“Fuck,” MJ whispered and the teens jog up to the scene, Peter effortlessly lifting Kilgrave off the cement.

“I'm calling an ambulance.” A woman says.

“No, it's too late! We have to get him to the hospital.” Jessica follows Peter and MJ. “Trish, we’re coming to you. There's two guys right behind us.”

“Guys? What guys?” Trish asks.

Simpson opens the doors of the van. Peter tosses Kilgrave's body in and the three scramble in after.

“Let's go! Go, go!” Simpson yells, jumping into the passenger seat. The van takes off as the two men try to catch up. “We're clear.”

Jessica squats over Kilgrave’s body. Trish looks back.

“Jess, we need him alive.”

“I remember.” Jessica punches Kilgrave in the jaw. “See? He's alive.”

Trish and Simpson exchange looks.

They arrived at the building with the sealed room. Trish parks.

“Alright, let's get him inside. Quickly and quietly.” Simpson says.

“Wait, there's something...” Jessica pulls something out of his jacket. Cars can be heard outside of the van. “Shit! He's wearing a tracker!”

“Oh, God. Let's get out of here! Go!”

A man walks up and breaks the driver's side window. He tazes Trish. Another man approaches the passenger side, but Simpson slams the door into him. Simpson punches a third man. A fourth man opens the back doors of the van. Jessica kicks him in the face. A fifth man comes up and MJ kicks him out of the van, as well.

“You're being controlled, assholes!” MJ yells.

Another man comes around the side of the van and tazes Jessica, followed by another. Jessica throws one of them into the open door of the van.

Peter takes the arm of the other one and turns the taser back on him. He throws another man down, followed by the one he tased. He punches another man in the face.

Simpson is beating one man on the side of the van. Another man comes up and gets Simpson off him, tazing him. He punches the man and throws him down. He beats that man. The first man punches Simpson and throws him off.

One man tackles Peter to the ground. A few men come over and taze him. Simpson keeps fighting a man in front of the van. Whilst a number of men surround Jessica.

“Hey! She won't go down! It's not working!” one says as they attempt to taze her. MJ attempts to kick them off but she’s not strong enough and one is able to hold her back.

Simpson flips the man he's fighting on the ground and engages another. One of the men grabs Kilgrave from the van. Another comes to help.

Jessica and Peter lie on the ground in pain. Simpson knocks out the man he's fighting. The guy holding MJ lets her go. The rest of the men leave, with Kilgrave. Simpson checks on Trish, who's out cold. Jessica starts tearing up. Simpson cuffs the man who he knocked unconscious. Trish comes out of the van, having awoken.

“I'm sorry,” Trish says, helping Jessica up. MJ helps up Peter.

“We were outmanned,” Jessica replies.

“One taze and I'm useless.”

“Don't, okay?”

“I'm just a goddamn radio talk show host.”

“I can't do that thing where I make you feel better, all right? I don't know how.”

“He's coming to,” Simpson says about the guy he knocked out.

Trish goes to the van.

“Hey. You did good.” Simpson says, following her.

* * *

The man they have is awake and very sweaty. Simpson begins cutting his pants.

“No, no, no, no, no.”

“Where'd they take Kilgrave?” Simpson asks.

“We know what he did to you,” Jessica adds.

“Did to me?” the guy asks.

“There's a pain centre right below the kneecap,” Simpson says.

“Oh, come on, man. That's not necessary-.”

Simpson puts the knife below the man's kneecap. He gasps.

“Forget it. You could torture him until he's dead, he's not gonna tell us anything. He's not in control.” Jessica says.

“I am in total control! You don't need to torture! Ah!”

“Wait, Kilgrave didn't tell you to do this?” Jessica asks.

“Is he a client? I never spoke to him.” The guy replies.

“But you work for that psychopath?” Simpson questions.

“No, I work for a firm. I just guard who I'm told. The client thought that he might get attacked. Frankly, I just thought he was some paranoid nut-job with a lot of cash.”

“Oh, my God, I'm such a goddamn idiot. Kilgrave knew I had the surgical drugs. Malcolm would have told him.”

“He's lying,” Simpson growls.

“Oh, come on, man! I mean, the job pays well, but not good enough to lose a kneecap over. You know what I mean?”

“Kilgrave knew he needed paid backup, in case he lost his ability.” Jessica snaps.

“Where'd they take him?” Peter asked, masked in his Spider-man costume.

“Spider-man…? Look, they don't tell us until we need it. It's a precaution. I just show up.”

“Forget it! He doesn't know.” Jessica sighs.

“Names of your firm, names of the boys in your detail, how Kilgrave stayed in contact,” Simpson ordered.

“Sure, yeah, whatever you need.”

“Doesn't matter, he's just gonna change it all when he wakes up anyway.” Jessica sighs.

“Well, I'll just make sure. Then we can go find your junkie friend.”

“I'll find him. You come to terms with this guy and that means serve and protect. You're a cop, Simpson. Remember?” Peter scowls.

Simpson bit his lip, glaring at the vigilante before him, before sighing and storming out of the room.

Jessica sighed and followed.

“Sorry about that, sir,” Peter says.

“What’re you doing in Hell’s Kitchen?” the man asks.

“The Devil is preoccupied and my… associates got involved, so here I am.” Peter says.

“That Kilgrave person…” the bodyguard starts. “He’s not a good guy if you’re doing this then… is he?”

“Sorry.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love Malcolm too much, this poor baby


	24. A Sandwich Saved Me (part 4)

Jessica gets off the elevator. She can hear Malcolm and a woman arguing in his apartment. MJ is hovering outside of the door, listening.

“You don't understand.” Malcolm's voice says.

“I understand all right. I understand you're full of shit.” The woman replies.

“Look, I'm sick. I... I gotta have it. Now, please.” Malcolm begged.

“You made me come all the way over here, and you ain't even got the money? Bitch, please.”

“No, but you can have my TV, all right? And this printer.”

“I got a better TV than that. Got the HD and everything. And what the hell am I gonna do with a printer?”

“You don't understand, I need it! Now please, just give it to me!”

There's movement and the faint sound of a gun cocking.

“Come a step closer and I'll shoot your dick off! Stay back!”

Jessica barges in and takes the woman’s arm, twisting it around her back and taking the gun. She pushes the woman out of the room.

“Well, if your bitch here got any money, we can still do a deal if you want.”

MJ closes the door on her and turns around.

“No. No, what the hell are you doing?” Malcolm cries. Jessica pushes him back. “No, you let go of me!” She throws him on the ground. He tries to get up, but she throws him down again. “God damn it, you can't save me! You can't save me again.”

Jessica dragged Malcolm to the bathroom and handcuffed him to a pipe in his bathroom. He’s sitting on the rip of his bathtub.

“I made you a peanut butter sandwich. You ate all the chunky; all I have is smooth.” Jessica says.

“I'm sick.”

“Yeah, and you're just gonna get sicker, so try not to miss the toilet,” MJ replies. She hands him a water bottle. He grabs it out of her hand and tosses it.

“Go to hell!”

“Already been there,” Jessica replies. “So have you.”

“Fuck, I just... I need a little bit; you know? Just... Just to wean myself off.” Malcolm pleads.

“I'm not gonna help you kill yourself,” Jessica says.

“I mean, why not? I'm useless to you. To anybody.”

“Yeah, at the moment.” MJ scowls. “But a while ago, you were gonna help people. Social work, right?”

Malcolm sinks to the floor and laughs. “Look at me. Who am I gonna help like this?”

“You have a choice now,” Jessica says.

“I took pictures of you.”

“Because he made you.”

“Sometimes I did it just for the drugs. Think about it. I met him once a day. Ten a.m. His controls don't last that long. You know they don't.”

“That's why he got you hooked. So you would show up.” MJ says, smirking slightly.

“I'm telling you that I had a choice!” Malcolm cried.

The girls say nothing. After a moment, Malcolm starts throwing up in the toilet. Jessica clears her throat and leaves the room. MJ turns away and gags.

“Kilgrave will find me. I'll be dead anyway. Please just give me my goddamn drugs. Just give me... Just give me my goddamn drugs!”

“You're right. I can't save you.” Jessica says.

She comes back in the room with a pillow and a blanket. She squats on the floor.

“The whole time he had me, there was some part of me that fought.” She starts.

“There was some tiny corner of my brain that tried to get out. And I'm still fighting. I won't stop fighting. But if you give up, I lose. Do you get that?” she asks.

“He did this to you to get at me. To isolate me. To make me feel like an infection. One more person dead, or dying, because of me. So why don't you remember how to be a goddamn human being again, instead of this self-pitying piece of shit that he turned you into, and save me for once.”

She leaned in close and whispered. “Or at least save Michelle.” She takes out a packet of drugs and throws them on the floor. “You choose.”

She gets up and leaves, MJ following. Malcolm reaches for the drugs and pulls them out. He begins sobbing.

* * *

It’s early the next morning, Jessica staring solemnly out of her window. MJ and Peter curled together on her bed. Jessica’s phone rang, making Peter stir. She walks over and picks it up.

“Well, I don't know about you, but I'm exhausted.” Kilgrave’s voice starts through the receiver. “So rare for me to feel powerless. Well, I would have felt it, had I been conscious. But in retrospect, it's exhilarating. My life was literally in your hands. And I have the bruise to prove it. Which proves that you want me alive.”

“Tell me why. I could just turn up on your doorstep and make you tell me. Oh, you're mad about the junkie, aren't you? That is completely unfair! I didn't make him do anything he didn't want to do. He was... He was an addict waiting to happen! Come on, Jessica. Come on. Don't play the hero with me.”

She says nothing.

“Fine, fine. Pretend you saved the junkie, but we both know that was down to me. I tell you what, I will let him go down his own self-destructive path. I won't come near him, if... You do his job for him. Keep the pictures coming. Say, one a day, at ten a.m.? Don't forget to smile. Hmm? Send the picture, save the junkie. Sounds like an ad campaign. Let's start, um, now. Come one, Jessica. Tell me we have a deal. Let me hear your voice.”

She hangs up. After a moment, she gets a text from Kilgrave.

'I'm waiting, Jessica...'

She scoffs and throws her phone on a nearby table. Instead, she finds herself going back to check on Malcolm. He's moving around, distressed. She sees that he threw the drugs in the toilet, deciding not to take the drugs.

She goes back to her apartment and grabs her phone. “Hope you like that you bastard.” She mumbles under her breath.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Jessica centric because that's the end of the episode and fuck knows what Simpson did to that body guard guy


	25. You're A Winner! (part 1)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's hardly five minutes into the episode with the flashback I had to skip so oof

“There was a kind of freedom to being under Kilgrave's control. You're not a slave to guilt or fear or even logic. You just... do what you're told. The beauty of what he does is that nobody knows how he does this. It can't be explained, so it can't be believed,” Malcolm says, draped in one of Jessica’s blankets.

They were lying down in Jessica’s apartment, Malcolm sprawled out on the couch and Jessica on the floor. MJ sat in a nearby beanbag and Peter was sitting on the roof.

“It doesn't matter how he does it,” Jessica groans. “It matters where, so I can catch him. Did he have a new favourite bar? Did he catch movies at the Nitehawk? You have to know something!”

  
  
“I know that his powers aren't magic.”

  
  
“How do you know that?” Peter asked.

Malcolm gave him a look. “The same way I know that elves don't exist.”

  
  
“I preferred your brain on drugs,” MJ chimed.

“I think it still is.” Malcolm points at Peter. “Is that just me seeing that? Or…?”

“No, that’s just Peter.” MJ shakes her head.

  
  
“Look, I'm just saying that if we pool our information, then maybe we can hone in on his limitations, you know? Profile him,” Malcolm says.

  
  
“You want to discuss him? Fine, go to that survivor's group. But if you want to catch him, give me something I can use.”

  
  
Someone knocks on the door. Jessica, Malcolm and MJ stand up and Peter lowers himself to the floor. Malcolm gives him another look.

  
  
“Who is it?” Jessica calls.

  
  
“Luke,” A deep voice replies.

  
  
“Who's Luke?” Malcolm asks.

“Yeah, I second that,” MJ says.

  
  
Jessica ignores them both and goes to the door.

  
  
“What are you doing here?” she asks through the door.

  
  
“I want to hire you,” Luke says.

  
  
“In the middle of the night? He's been Kilgraved!” Malcolm exclaims.

“You’re just paranoid,” MJ replies.

  
  
“Open the door, Jones,” Luke says.

  
“Don't!”

  
  
She opens the door. Luke's shirt is dirty and torn.

  
  
“Are you hurt?” Peter asks. Luke looks at him. “Sorry, stupid question.”

  
  
“Just keep your distance, all right? Or I'm gonna have to kick your ass,” Malcolm threatens, tugging the blanket off his shoulders and handing it to Peter.

  
  
“Peter is more threatening than you are,” Jessica deadpans. “Plus, If he had been Kilgraved, you'd be dead by now.”

  
  
“What's a Kilgrave?” Luke asks, looking between them.

  
  
“Go home.” Jessica ushers Malcolm out of the apartment. “Why are you really here?” She asks Luke.

  
  
“Like I said. I want to hire you.” He pulls out a bundle of cash.

  
  
“To do what?”

  
  
“Find someone."

Jessica looks at Luke, the cash in his hand, and to Luke again with an ‘are you fucking serious’ expression on her face. “I'm giving you the name of a top-notch private investigator.” They both walk into her apartment. “Angela Del Toro. Reasonable rates.”

  
  
“I came to you,” Luke says.

  
  
“And you shouldn't have,” Jessica replied curtly.

  
  
“You know how hard it was for me to show up on your doorstep?” Luke asks. “I need this handled fast, discreetly. By someone who brings something… extra to the table, in case it gets rough.”

  
  
“Looks like it already got rough,” MJ muses.

Jessica sits at her desk. “Start at the beginning.”

  
Luke’s gaze lingered on the teens for a moment, before sinking into the chair opposite Jessica’s. “Kid's name is Antoine Grier. He got in deep to a loan shark. Disappeared a week ago.”

  
  
“And you want to find him because...?” Jessica asked.

  
  
“His sister's worried about him. Her name's Serena. Serena gave money to Antoine to pay off a loan shark. I had a little… conversation with the shark's boys. Seems Antoine hasn't made any payments in weeks.”

  
  
Jessica looks at him. “You said you only protect yourself and what's yours.”

  
  
“I promised his sister.”

  
  
Jessica paused. “Is she yours?” MJ frowned in confusion and her eyes flicked between the two.  


“You really wanna know?” She looks away. Luke slides the envelope of cash over to Jessica. “Help me find him, Jones.”

  
  
“Keep the money, I owe you a favour.”

  
  
She slides the money back over to him, but he puts his hand on hers.

  
  
“I didn't ask for a favour.” Jessica slides her hand out of Luke’s, leaving the envelope on his hand.

  
  
“Text me any information you have on Antoine. Phone number, address,” Jessica says, standing up.

  
  
“I went by his place already. He's not there,” Luke replies, also standing.

  
  
“I'll take another look.”

  
  
“Tonight?”

  
  
“First thing tomorrow.”

  
  
They shake on it, though Jessica quickly takes her hand away. Luke leaves and Peter closes the door behind him. Jessica sighs and sits down. Her phone rings.

  
  
“If this is a booty call, I like your chances,” Jessica answers.

  
  
“It's Hogarth,” The women on the other end replies. Peter tilts his head.

  
  
“Yeah, I know,” Jessica replies. “Look, I still don't have any dirt on your ex. I think you're gonna have to accept that maybe she's clean.”

  
  
“Well, keep looking. That isn't why I'm calling you. I just picked up a message from the prison infirmary. Hope Shlottman was attacked.”

  
  
“Goddamn it. Goddamn it!”

  
  
Jessica stands up and hangs up on Hogarth.

“What happened?” MJ whispered to Peter.

“Hope was attacked recently in prison,” Peter replied.

“What? Why?”

Peter shrugged. “Your guess is as good as mine.”


	26. You're A Winner! (part 2)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wow, there's a fair bit I have to explain since we missed the first couple of Jessica Jones episodes here oop

Jessica walks up to the prison, the teenagers once more following behind her. Hogarth meets them outside.

  
  
“Hey. Was it Kilgrave?” Jessica asks.

  
  
“Doesn't appear to be,” Hogarth replied.

  
  
Hogarth continues to her car.

  
  
“Wait, you're leaving?” Peter asks.

  
  
“Not a lot I can do. Hope refuses to accuse her attacker. No one saw anything.” Hogarth replied.

  
  
“Bullshit.” MJ hissed.

  
  
“Of course it's bullshit.” Hogarth snapped. “Which is why I bribed a guard. He was not cheap.”

  
  
“You know who did it.” Jessica deduced.

  
  
“This case is getting very expensive, Jessica.” Hogarth scolded.

  
  
“Name!”

  
  
The older woman sighed. “Word has it the attacker's name is Sissy Garcia.”

  
  
“Garcia could have been Kilgraved.”

  
  
“I checked the logs. Garcia had no visitors before or after. No contact with anyone other than Hope.”

  
  
“He doesn't leave fingerprints.”

  
  
“Regardless, Hope will not speak to me. She will not ask for isolation. So Garcia's free to do it again. Expensive and exasperating. Your turn.”

  
  
Jessica enters the prison. She walked confidently into the meeting room. Sissy is sitting at a table. When Jessica arrives, Sissy stands up. The teens listen from the hall where the prison guards stood.

  
  
“Whoever you are, puta, this visit don't start until Sissy gets her snacks.” The roughed up looking lady says, holding her hand out to Jessica. “Cash for the machines.” Jessica gives her some cash. “Thanks, sexy.”

  
  
MJ gagged.

  
  
Sissy walks over to the vending machine. Jessica slowly walks over as well. “I think this is what they call a conundrum. Takis or SunChips?”

  
  
Suddenly, Jessica grabs Sissy's arm and twists it behind her back, shoving her into the vending machine.

  
  
“Whatever problem you have-.”

  
  
“What?”

  
“-with Hope Shlottman ends now or I take your hand home with me.”

  
  
“Oh, gringa loca, that wasn't no beef man. That was services rendered.” Sissy replied.

  
  
“What is that supposed to mean?” Jessica hissed.

  
  
“Hope wanted that beat down.”

  
  
“Bullshit.”

  
  
“She paid me for it. Fifty bucks and a pack of smokes.” Jessica lets go of her. “God! Bitch best be careful messing with my digits. I got ladies to satisfy!

  
  
Jessica walks away. She visited Hope in the infirmary with the teens.

  
  
“You hired Sissy with my money to take you out? Fifty bucks and a pack of smokes.” Jessica hissed.

  
  
“Not to kill me,” Hope grunted.

  
  
“Then what?” Hope doesn’t reply. “Are you punishing yourself? You can't pay penance for something you didn't do.”

  
  
“I'm not.”

  
  
“Goddamn it, Hope.”

  
  
“I'm pregnant.” Hope cuts in. “Still.” Jessica sits down. “I can feel it growing like a tumour.”

  
  
There’s a tense silence.

“They have a doctor on call here,” Jessica says.

  
  
“Two months. That's the soonest the doctor can get to me.” Hope replies.

  
  
“Hogarth will get the appointment moved up.”

  
  
“No, I'm not waiting,” Hope says, shaking her head. “Every second it's there, I get raped again and again. My parents are shot, again and again.” She starts to tear up.

  
  
“One beating was more likely to kill you than cause a miscarriage.”

  
  
“It was worth the risk. It'll be worth the next risk. Whatever it takes.”

  
  
“Jesus, Hope.”

  
  
“I wanna live. I wanna have children. But... I won't give life to this... thing. I won't do it.”

  
  
“Okay.”

  
  
Hope sighs and wipes her face, relaxing into the hospital bed.

* * *

  
  
Jessica comes out of the subway the teens still following like lost puppies.

  
  
“Someone missing as long as Antoine usually stays missing,” Jessica says. “Normally, I don't give a shit. More billable hours for me. But Luke being the client makes this case personal, which is against my policy.”

  
  
“What relationship do you have with Luke?” MJ asks.

  
  
“We were fuck buddies for a while,” Jessica replies.

  
  
“You had to ask.” Peter hisses at MJ.

  
  
“Honesty is the best policy.” She replies. Peter rolls his eyes.

  
  
Jessica approaches a building but she hesitates when her phone starts ringing.

  
  
“Go on, I’ll be a second.” The teens shrug and step inside, finding the apartment number 2A. Jessica joins them and they enter, finding it's very messy.

  
  
Something falls over in the other room. Jessica goes to inspect in but the large frame of a man steps into the doorway.

  
  
“Luke, what the hell.” Jessica groans, calming her racing heart.

  
  
“I thought you said, 'Tomorrow, first thing'?” Luke replied.

  
  
“I had to deal with something,” Jessica replied.

  
  
“More important than a paying customer?”

  
  
“Life and death, actually.”

  
  
“Figured you were blowing me off.”

  
  
“I wouldn't just bail on you.”

  
  
“You've done it before.” Luke pushes past Jessica, the teens and instead sits on the living room couch to go through a pile of papers he’d picked up.

  
  
“Fuck buddies,” MJ whispers to Peter.

  
  
“I don't even know what the hell I'm looking for.” Luke curses.

  
  
“Anything that points to where Antoine might have gone. Airline receipts, train schedules.” Jessica replies, searching through another room. The teens separate to conduct their own investigation.

  
  
“Won't find any of that if someone grabbed him,” Luke called.

  
  
“No one did. Antoine's toothbrush, toothpaste, and deodorant are all missing.” Jessica replies. “Kidnappers aren't generally big on hygiene. He packed up. Which probably means Antoine's okay.”

  
  
“Still gotta find him,” Luke says.

  
  
“Because you promised his sister?” MJ asked. “Is there another reason why you're so amped up about this?”

  
  
“I keep my word.”

  
  
Jessica sighs, and walks over to a trash bin. She picks it up and shows it to Luke.

  
  
“Welcome to the holy grail of P.I. work.” She dumps the trash out on the table and sifts through it. “Eye-drops, a lot of ash, rolling papers.”

  
  
“Antoine's a pothead,” Luke replied.

  
  
“Lottery tickets, contest entry forms.” Peter listed, sifting through the papers. “Optimistic sucker.”

  
  
“Stupid.” MJ corrects.

  
  
“But useful stupid,” Jessica adds.

  
  
Jessica takes out her phone and calls someone. She speaks in a very high, perky voice.

  
  
“Hi! This message is for Antoine Grier. Congratulations! You're a winner! Give us a call back within twenty-four hours at this number or your Xbox One prize will be forfeited. Kay, thanks, bye!”

  
  
She hangs up. Luke chuckles.

  
  
“Not bad.”

  
  
The group walk back out onto the street.

“How often does that 'you're a winner' thing work?” Luke asked.

  
  
“You'd be surprised,” Jessica replies.

  
  
Two men are at the bottom of the stairs. Jessica grabs one of them and shoves him against a fence. Luke grabs the other.

  
  
“Are you following me? Did Kilgrave send you?” she asks.

  
  
“These guys work for Sirkes, the loan shark Antoine owes,” Luke replies, looking at the one he was holding against the fence. “Didn't I just kick your ass yesterday?

  
  
“So that was you.” Sirkes approaches. He was a man dressed in black with a beard imitating Tony Stark and black hair slicked back.

  
  
“I was looking for Antoine. I thought you might know where he was.” Luke replies.

  
  
“And you thought I kidnapped him. Why would I do that? It doesn't get me my money back.” Sirkes says.

  
  
“You want your money? I want to find Antoine. How about we work together?”

  
  
“You're talking about a business arrangement?”

  
  
“I am.”

  
  
“The hell you are!” Jessica yells. She throws the man she was holding towards Sirkes.

  
  
“Take it down a notch, Jones,” Luke warns.

  
  
“Look, you rough up my employees, that hurts my professional reputation. That's all any businessman has.

  
  
Jessica snorts. “Asshole thinks he's Carl Icahn.”

  
  
“We're in the street in broad daylight. A brawl will bring cops, jail. Shit we don't have time for.” Luke snaps at her before turning back to Sirkes. “You're a businessman. Let's do business. What's your finder's fee for tracking down deadbeats?”

  
  
“Eight per cent.”

  
  
Luke nods in Jessica’s direction. “She's a P.I. A good one. She'll do it for five.”

  
  
“The hell I will.” Luke gives her a look. “Fine, five per cent.”

  
  
“If we all walk away right now.” Luke finishes.

  
  
“You known to deliver?”

  
  
“Don’t think she’d have a home if she didn’t.” MJ chimes from the stairs.

  
  
“It's like you said, all I have is my professional reputation.” Jessica ignores MJ.

  
  
“You got a deal,” Sirkes says. “Come on.” Sirkes and his goons leave.

  
  
“Carl Icahn?” Luke asks.

  
  
“I read his book. I'll text you if I find anything.”

  
  
“It's a long commute home, this time of day. I'll give you a ride.” He gets on his motorcycle. She just looks at him. “I'm not gonna infect you.”

  
  
“I know. Kids.” Jessica nods to the teens.

  
  
“We can walk,” MJ says, smirking.

  
  
Peter shrugs. “We’ll race you, even.”

  
  
Luke cocks an eyebrow as he hands Jessica a helmet. “It's the law.” He explains as she raises an eyebrow. She puts on the helmet and gets on the motorcycle. He starts it up. “Hold on tight.”

  
  
He drives off. Jessica holds tight to him.

  
  
“We swingin’?” MJ asks.

  
  
“Yep,” Peter replied.

  
  
“Got the mask?”

  
  
“Nope.”

  
  
“Great.”

  
  
Needless to say, the teens got back before Jessica and Luke. The man was confused when he saw the two teens already standing at the apartment door.

  
  
“Cab,” Peter says. Luke still looks confused but doesn’t press the issue. Jessica hops off the motorcycle and hands Luke the helmet back.

  
  
“So, uh, what's next? I mean, with Antoine?” He asks.

  
  
“I'm gonna do some digging on the internet. I'll call you if I find something.” She walks into the building without saying anything else. MJ blinks at Luke then follows, Peter gives the man a crooked smile before going after them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Translation:  
puta - bitch  
gringa loca - crazy white chick (technically gringa is slang for 'white chick' but whatever)


	27. You're A Winner! (part 3)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Soft Malcolm boi

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you can't tell, I love Malcolm :)

“Jeri Hogarth's office,” Pam answered.

“Put Hogarth on.” Jessica snapped.

“Hi, Jessica." She doesn't reply. "Yes, why be polite to a lowly secretary?” Pam hisses, passing the phone onto her boss.

“Were you just rude to Pam?” Hogarth asks.

“I'm rude to everybody,” Jessica replies. “Did you get Hope's meds?”

“Pam picked them up,” Hogarth replies. “Yes, Pam is helping with this. Pam, who has been waiting for my divorce with the patience of a saint. Pam, who I want to spend the rest of my life with.”

“Jesus, I didn't ask for your wedding vows. Meet me at the prison tomorrow morning.” Jessica rolled her eyes and hung up. Peter and MJ snickered.

* * *

Jessica sits in her apartment on her computer. Natasha called in earlier and said Hawkeye (what was his real name again?) was in Queens and would take Peter’s patrol; so the teenagers were both still in the apartment; MJ curled up asleep on Jessica’s bed and Peter scrolling through his socials.

There's a knock at the door. Jessica gets up to answer it. “It’s Luke.” Peter supplies. “Or some other six-foot man with heavy steps.”

Jessica groans at the shadow on the window. It was definitely him. “Go home, Luke.”

“I know about Kilgrave,” Luke says.

“What do you know?” Jessica hesitates.

“I know what he did to Malcolm and to you before that.”

“God damn it, Malcolm.”

“You were trying to tell me about him when you and I were, uh... Whatever we were doing.”

“Peter, take Michelle next door,” Jessica says, not making eye contact with the boy. Peter does as told, ably to easily pick up the taller teenager.

“Whaaat?” Malcolm asks as Peter practically kick-knocks on his door. And then barges in.

“Sexual tension between Aunt Jess and Luke,” Peter replied, placing MJ on the couch.

“I’ll get… pillows.” Malcolm disappears.

“So I shut you down. That's the reason you broke it off.” Luke’s voice was fainter than before, but Peter could still listen in to the conversation.

“Don't, that's not the reason,” Jessica replied.

“Then what was it?”

“…Why does it matter?”

“Maybe I can make it right.”

She opens the door, if the sound of the hinges creaking was anything to go off of.

“…You can't. You didn't do anything wrong… It's me. I'm a piece of shit.”

“Hey, hold on.” YEAH.

“You have no idea what I've done.”

“Doesn't matter. It was him, not you.”

“You don't know.”

“Jessica Jones, you are a hard-drinking, short-fused, mess of a woman, but you are not a piece of shit.”

Jessica hesitates, then kisses him, by the next sound anyways. Peter stops listening.

Malcolm came back with pillows. And blankets. “What’s going on next door?” he asks.

“Sex,” Peter replied. Malcolm stares at him for a long time.

“Y’ know what. Nah. Not even gonna-.” Malcolm waved the comment off wisely. “Get some sleep though, I’m sure Jessica would kill me if you were up too late.”

“My curfew is like… two, three am.” Peter replied.

“That’s because you’re that… Spider-man, right? You’re out in Queens saving people?”

“Pretty much.”

“Yeah, Nah, I don’t.” Malcolm waved him off again. “I need to be high for this. Go to bed.”

Peter snickers to himself and lies on his makeshift bed on the floor beside the couch as Malcolm retired to his bedroom.

* * *

“He seems like an okay guy,” Malcolm says, stepping out of his apartment as Jessica walks past the next morning.

Jessica groans. “It’s not up for you to decide who knows my history.” She snaps at him.

“Just looking out for you, but I… I take your point.” Malcolm replies. “I went to that group that you told me about. The Kilgrave Survivors. It was good, you know, saying it out loud.”

Jessica rapidly pressed the elevator button. “I prefer repression.”

“And self-medication,” Malcolm adds.

“Look.” Jessica turns to him sharply. “I’m not gonna talk about my shitty story, Malcolm, because there’s always someone who’s had it worse, someone’s life who is ruined worse.”

The elevator opens and Jessica steps inside.

“It’s not a competition,” Malcolm says quietly.

“Shut up, okay? Just stop talking.” Jessica presses the lobby button.

“Wait.” Malcolm calls. “Am I just supposed to babysit your kids now?” the elevator doors closed before Jessica could reply.

“Technically, I’m not her kid,” Peter says from Malcolm’s doorway. “She’s been friends forever with my mom and was dubbed my aunt, so was tia Rosa.”

Malcolm sighed.

* * *

“Do you… have a three?”

“Fish,” Peter replied, picking at the corner of a card he held. Malcolm sighed and picked up a card from the pile. “Do you have an… ace?” The older man grumbled and slid a card over to him. “Coolio.” Peter put his set down. “Do you have a ten?”

“Go fish,” Malcolm replied.

“I can’t believe you two are playing  _ Go Fish _ .” MJ groaned from the couch.

“You’re awake, Sleeping Beuty!” Peter called, picking up a card from the deck. “How was your nap?”

“What time is it?” MJ asked.

“Three-ish in the afternoon,” Malcolm replied. “Do you have a nine?”

Peter sacrificed a card. “Jess is out with Luke on a case.” He says.

“Without us?” MJ asks pointedly.

“You were sleeping and I didn’t bother,” Peter replied. “It was a missing person’s case and Jessica and Luke can handle it.”

“Do you have a three?” Malcolm asked.

“No.” Peter deadpanned. “Go fish.”

Malcolm cursed.

“Are you okay MJ?” Peter asked, turning in his chair to look at her. “It weird sleeping in so long, and you were asleep for longer than I was.”

“You were up at three am,” Malcolm exclaims.

“Because you made me go to bed at ten.” Peter retorted. “Do you have a six?”

“Go fish.”

* * *

“It’s not just the thing he made me do that keep me up,” Malcolm says. He dragged Peter and Michelle to the Kilgrave meet. “It’s the question of who I am. I mean, he turned me into an addict a liar, a thief. He did that.” He sighed. “But I don’t know if it was in me to begin with, or… or if it’s a part of who I am now.”

“Asshole just tried to kidnap me, had some guy with a tattoo jump us in an alley,” MJ says bluntly.

“Do you know why?” Someone asked.

“She’s a relative of one of Kilgrave’s other victims, whom he’s obsessed with. I’m guessing he wanted to use her as leverage or something.” Peter replies.

“What about you, young man?” Another person asked.

“He just tried to kill me, I wasn’t involved with that.” Peter shook his head. “No siree, not me.”

His phone vibrated in his pocket. “Oh, sorry.” He pulled it out and sidled out of the booth to take the call.

“Aunty Jess? What’s up?” He asked. “Are you crying?”

“Where are you and Michelle?” Jessica asked, ignoring the questions.

“We’re at the Kilgrave group thing with Malcolm,” Peter replied. “Are you okay, Jessica?”

“I’m fine.” She lied. “Just… scared. Michelle wasn’t answering her phone and I didn’t know if Kilgrave got to you or-.”

“Hey, sh.” Peter shushed her as Jessica let out an involuntary sob. “DO you want to talk to Michelle?”

“Please.”

He beckoned the other teenager over and offered the phone to her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Person to find the reference and figure out where it's from gets a shout out


	28. Top Shelf Perverts (part 1)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> *everything crashes and burns*
> 
> *Smiles gleefully into the camera*

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning!
> 
> The chapter contains descriptions of murder, just in case you haven't seen the episode

The elevator rings and it opens. Jessica is inside, spread on the floor. Malcolm has the kid on his tail outside.

  
  
“Well, how long have you been here?” Malcolm asks, MJ helping Jessica up.

  
  
“Jazzercise?” Jessica replied in a slur, allowing herself to be chauffeured to her apartment.

  
  
“Running actually helps with sobriety,” Malcolm says.

  
  
“Sobriety blows,” Jessica replied.

  
  
“You're a real inspiration.” Peter quips, earning a weak slap to the head. Malcolm tugs his headband off.

  
  
He opens Jessica’s door for her and the group pile in.

  
  
“Oh, careful.” Malcolm takes a brick out of the way and leaves Jessica to enter the kitchen. Jessica takes off her jacket and starts removing her boots. “What you need is some electrolytes, something solid in your stomach.”

  
  
Malcolm takes a bite out of some meatloaf on the table and opens the cabinets. Jessica takes off her gloves and walks to her room while removing the blouse, leaving her undershirt on.

  
  
Suddenly Jessica gasps, gets up scared, pushes herself towards the wall and starts sliding down. Peter and MJ rush to the room and freeze. MJ gagged. Jessica looks at her hands, covered in blood. Malcolm enters the room. His jaw drops and he lets the glass in his hand fall.

  
  
The body lying in Jessica’s bed was male, covered in blood and held a razor in his hand. It looks as if he’d slit his own throat in Jessica’s bed.

  
  
“Jesus Christ! Holy Jesus Christ! He's dead. That's... That's his dead body. That's Ruben.” Malcolm gasps.

  
  
Jessica gets up and notices bloody footprints on the carpet.

  
“Kilgrave. He was here. He made Ruben...”

  
  
She covers her mouth with her hand.

  
  
“Oh, my God,” Peter whispers.

  
  
“Poor Ruben. Oh, man, his poor sister. I just...” MJ looked pale. “Holy shit.”

  
  
Jessica stammered. “I can't. I can't do this. I can't. I can't keep fighting him. I can't fight him! I can't do this!” Jessica cried, wailing loudly and shouting.

  
  
“Hey, hey.” Malcolm consoles, grabbing her shoulders. “Hey, look at me. You have not killed anyone, all right? Right? Just breathe.”

  
  
MJ ducked under Malcolm’s arms to wrap her own around Jessica in a secure hug. She said nothing.

  
  
“This has to stop,” Jessica replied to Malcolm, her grip around MJ tight.

  
  
“Yeah, you're right. You know what? We're gonna make it stop. I'm gonna call the police right now, and we're gonna make it stop.” Malcolm says.

  
  
“They'll arrest me,” Jessica says.

  
  
Malcolm dials 911.

  
  
“You didn't do it and the evidence will confirm that,” Peter says.

  
  
“This is the third death that I'm directly connected to.” She snaps

  
  
Without responding, Malcolm hangs up. Jessica walks around the bed and closes Ruben's eyes, MJ hanging off her back like a koala.

  
“I'm so sorry, Ruben.” Malcolm approaches Jessica. “I'm gonna end it.”

  
“End what? Yourself?” Malcolm asks.

  
  
“Hey!” MJ snapped quietly.

  
  
“There's another option. I go to jail.” Jessica says.

  
  
“Hey!” MJ repeated, louder.

  
  
“What? No!” Peter and Malcolm snap at Jessica.

  
  
“But it has to be the right jail.” Jessica walks off, shaking herself free from MJ. The trio follow.

  
  
Jessica’s on her computer. She’s researching supermax prisons. The sun was rising now and Jessica was dressed properly.

  
  
“Why the hell would you wanna be locked up there?” Malcolm asks.

  
  
“Because supermax prison is a high tech mousetrap, and I'll be the bait when Kilgrave comes for me,” Jessica replies.

  
  
“If he comes for you.”

  
  
“He'll come! I know him.”

  
  
“Or he will just send somebody.”

  
  
“He can't compel someone through seven layers of security. He'll have to come himself, use his powers, which will be recorded on security cameras that he can't erase.”

  
  
“Or you spend the rest of your life locked up with a bunch of murderers.”

  
  
“I need proof, Malcolm. And this could expose him.”

  
  
“Unbelievable.”

  
  
“And there's a detective... What is his name? He questioned me about the Shlottman murders. He's already suspicious.”

  
  
Jessica grabs her cell phone and calls a number.

  
  
“Fifteenth Precinct.” A woman replies.

  
  
“Homicide, please,” Jessica replies.

  
  
“No, stop!” Jessica pins Malcolm back with just her hand. Peter and MJ hovered in the doorway.

  
  
“Homicide.” A male officer says.

  
  
“Hi, can I speak to the lead detective on the Shlottman murders?” Jessica asks.

  
  
“Uh, Clemons?”

  
  
“Clemons, right. Can I speak with him?”

  
“Can I help you?”

  
  
“No, it has to be him. What time is he on duty?”

  
  
“Eight pm.”

  
  
“Eight pm. I'll be there.”

  
  
Jessica turns off the phone.

  
  
“Okay. Eight pm. This is good, right? It gives us time to think, you know, about what's the potential fall-out? Who else is vulnerable?” Malcolm asks.

  
  
“I need a lawyer.” Jessica gets up and starts walking away.

  
  
“Okay, good.” Jessica gets her jacket from a chair and starts putting it on as she walks out of the apartment. “I'm gonna stay here with Ruben.”

  
  
“No, you have to disappear,” Jessica replies.

  
  
“Look, I'm in this now, Jessica,” Malcolm says.

  
  
“No, I don't want you in this!” Jessica hisses. “I don’t even want THEM in this!” She gestured to the teens.

  
  
“And we don't want you in this either.” Malcolm replies.

  
  
“I can't protect you anymore. If you don't believe me, ask Ruben.” Jessica takes Malcolm arm and drags him out of the apartment. “I only have until eight pm to tie up loose ends.”

* * *

  
  
Jessica was trying to call Trish. Emphasis on trying.

  
  
“Send her a text,” MJ says.

  
  
“She won’t read it, stubborn bitch.” Jessica hisses.

  
  
Jessica is sitting in the staircase outside the courthouse when Hogarth and Pam arrive. Jessica stands up as they near the front of the courthouse.

  
  
“I need a lawyer.”

  
  
“You scared me.” Pam flinches.

  
  
“How did you know we were here?” Hogarth asks.

  
  
“The temp.”

  
“Fire the temp.”

  
  
“I need a lawyer.”

  
  
“I'm about to try a case. Yes, Jessica, I have cases other than Hope's.” Hogarth replied.

  
  
This one is precedent-setting.” Pam says to Jessica.

  
  
“Defending some guilty, rich asshole for fraud?” MJ asks.

  
  
“It's not Jeri's job to determine guilt or innocence.” Pam quips.

  
  
“Jessica, I don't have time for distractions right now.” Hogarth sighs.

  
  
“Then you'll be happy to know that I served your ex the divorce papers last night,” Jessica said loudly, catching the attention of a few people.

  
  
“Did Wendy sign?” Pam asks.

  
  
“…She'll sign.”

  
“Did she say that?”

  
  
“She'll sign!”

  
  
“When?”

  
  
“I need... a lawyer.”

  
  
Hogarth pauses. “Pam, could you go inside and set up, please? I'll be right there.”

  
  
“Yeah.” Pam leaves.

  
“Did you do something to Wendy?”

  
  
“Yeah, I scared the shit out of her, per your request.”

  
  
“I just want this done.”

  
“Yeah, I know the feeling. Now... what do I have to do to get locked up in supermax by nightfall?”

  
  
“Are you telling me that you're planning to commit a crime? Because I would be obligated to report that.”

  
  
“What would it take?”

  
“All right. Supermax only houses the worst criminals. Top-shelf perverts, cannibals, serial killers who make mosaics with their victims' fingernails.”

  
  
“Well, that's... very specific.”

  
  
“It's a living hell... with real demons. It is the last place you wanna end up.”

  
  
“Be at the fifteenth Precinct at eight pm.”

  
  
“I'm a defence lawyer. I keep people out of jail.”

  
  
“Not today.”

  
  
“What're you gonna do?”

  
  
Jessica puts on sunglasses and walks away.

  
  
“It's already done.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ruben would've had more development and you'd know what his sister was like had Peter been with Jessica for the first three episodes so don't go off at me plz


	29. Top Shelf Perverts (part 2)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jessica ties up some loose ends

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> huh, I haven't updated in a while...

Jessica enters an empty bar, taking off her sunglasses, and starts to look behind the counter. The kids watched from a booth.

“Hello?” Jessica called.

An old man enters, carrying a beer crate.

“Looking for Luke?” He asks. “He took some time off. Went away for a while.”

“Good. Good for him. I just wanted to tell him-.”

“You just wanted to tell him you love him, you want him back, you're gonna have his baby.” The man guessed.

“What? No.”

“I’m forever her only child!” MJ calls.

“Heard it before. Best move on. He won't miss you. The only one he ever missed is in the ground. And it’s irrespirable to let children into a bar.”

“Tell him the right people are gonna pay for what's been done. And tell him I don't expect him to forgive me.” Jessica says.

“You know what happens when you burn a bridge?” the man asks. “You gotta learn to swim, or fly.” The man laughs.

Jessica leaves with the kids following.

* * *

The trio approaches a building with a plaque reading "Stars & Tykes Talent Agency - 2nd Floor". The door opens with a girl and her mother leaving. Jessica stares at them with a condescending look before entering through the open door. A bunch of girls, each accompanied by a parent, are rehearsing a line.

“I love Za Cola 'cause it tastes great.”

Jessica enters the room after climbing the stairs. She sits beside a woman spraying her daughter's hair. The teens linger at the wall. The room was cramped and filled with mothers and their daughters.

A woman wearing glasses comes in from an adjacent room holding a photo. “Britney Kovak.”

The girl being sprayed gets up. The woman, Dorothy, takes off her glasses but then changes her expression as she sees Jessica.

“Jessie. Come in.” Jessica gets up.

“Our appointment was 30 minutes ago!” Britney’s mother scowls.

“Welcome to showbiz.” Dorothy sneers.

Dorothy's office was decorated with a framed poster of ‘It's Patsy’ signed, "Thanks Mom," hangs from the wall. Dorothy and Jessica enter.

“You look terrific, Jessie.” Dorothy praises.

“You look done. How much of Trish's money did that cost you?” Jessica asks as Peter closes the office door.

“Old age, honey. Start saving now. Are these your kids?”

“Just me,” MJ says. “Peter’s the nephew.”

“Trish has a son?”

“No, you remember Natasha, right?” Jessica asks in a condescending tone.

Dorothy sighs. “So, to what do I owe the pleasure?”

“It's about Trish,” Jessica replies.

“Why? What's happened? Is she on drugs again?” Dorothy was quick to jump to conclusions. MJ and Peter grimaced.

“She hasn't touched drugs since I dragged her away from you.” Jessica retorts.

“I had no idea that doctor was over-prescribing,” Dorothy replies.

“Still no responsibility or remorse. I wish I could be like that.”

“ _ No responsibility _ , hmm? I took you in. You were an orphan. That's gotta count for something.”

“You don't get credit for doing the right thing for the wrong reasons.”

_ Anit-hero _ . Peter thought to himself.

“I cared about-.”

“About publicity. I was a strategic play to further the Patsy Walker brand. Trish is fine. She has security like Fort Knox and she's savvy enough not to let anyone sneak up on her, except you. She has no defences against you.”

“She doesn't need defences. I'm her mother.”

“You're her pimp!” Jessica snapped.

“I haven't seen her in three years.” Dorothy reasoned.

“Except for when you accidentally ran into her?”

“It's a small city.”

“And leave long, drunken messages for her?”

“What is it you want from me?” Dorothy hisses.

“I want you to stick to the agreement. Because no matter where I am, even if I'm behind bars, if you try anything, I will find out. I will come for you, and it will hurt.”

“People can change, Jessie.”

“It doesn't make the bad shit you did go away.”

“I just... had a problem. I got help.”

“And royalty checks.”

“I earned those!”

“If you want them to keep coming, you'll respect TRISH's wishes... which I will enforce.”

" _ And it will hurt _ . You need a better tagline.”

“Five hundred feet. Just like a real restraining order. Five hundred feet away from her. Do you understand?”

“Yes. Taking you in was the worst decision of my life.”

“Thanks, Mom.”

Jessica leaves, Peter on her tail. MJ lingers in the doorway of Dorothy’s office before leaving.

“That’s one way to meet your grandmother then.” MJ muses.

“She’s not your grandmother.”

* * *

Jessica is in the back seat of a cab.

“Pull over.” She says.

“I can't pull over.”

“Come on, man.”

“You wanna get killed crossing here?”

“I've got fifty-six minutes of freedom left. I'll take my chances.”

She hands the driver some money and gets out of the car. She checks the Manhattan Bridge above and walks into a security tunnel. Eventually, she comes to a maintenance door, which she breaks open. She climbs the ladder inside and comes out on top of one of the bridge's towers. She stands by the railing and narrates as shots of NYC are shown. The teens followed persistently all the way.

“I hate goodbyes. I've always just disappeared. But this goodbye... this one deserves a last, lingering look.”

* * *

Jessica and the teens return to Jessica’s apartment. Inside, an angry Trish is waiting with Natasha sitting idly by at Jessica’s desk, checking her nails. The teens stood awkwardly in the doorway, listening.

“I've been calling you.” Jessica greets Trish.

“I know. I was waiting to tell you something, but...”

“How did you get in?”

“Malcolm. You gave him a key.”

“Where is he?”

“Saving you from yourself.”

Jessica walks away and enters the bedroom. The room is clean, and the bed has neither the sheets nor the corpse from before.

“What the hell did you do?”

“You've lost it, Jess. And I get it. I really do. But you're not thinking clearly.”

“You don't know what you're talking about.”

“I think I do, given the amount of blood I just cleaned up. You wanna get yourself put away for it.”

“I have a plan.”

“You have guilt and shame and it is clouding your judgment.”

“A complex plan.”

“A bad plan.”

“Yes, it is a terrible plan and it is a complete long shot. But it's the only plan I've got.”

“You can't do anything in prison. You can't save Hope. You can't protect anyone or yourself.”

“Where the hell is the body?”

“I know how to find Kilgrave. I have a lead. I was waiting to tell you until-.”

“You are looking for him?”

Natasha looked up from her nails

“Simpson is. I found Kilgrave's new security team.”

“No. You tell Simpson to back off. He's gonna get himself killed.”

“He'll call us in when he finds Kilgrave, just let us handle it until-.”

“Until what? Until I come home and find my landlady choked out in my bathtub? Or I find you bludgeoned to death with my vacuum cleaner?”

“We both know you don't own a vacuum cleaner. I won't let you go to prison. You're not a murderer.”

“Yes, I am.”

“You're still punishing yourself for that woman's death?”

“And now more people are dead. Hope Shlottman's parents, Ruben, Reva, and someone has to give their families closure. And until the real killer shows up, that's gonna be me. I have to pay.”

“Who’s Reva?” Peter mouthed to Natasha. She shrugged.

“There are so many ways this could go wrong,” Trish says in an exasperated tone.

“There's one way it'll go right. No one else will die because of me. I'm taking myself out of the equation. I'm still not the hero that you wanted me to be.”

“You're exactly the hero I wanted you to be.”

“Tell me where Ruben is.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Reva's lowkey important fyi


	30. Top Shelf Perverts (part 3)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> TW; Descriptions of decapitation, open fire on a minor

Peter was held under Natasha and Trish’s care after Jessica stormed out, nearly ripping the door off its hinges.

“Мама, what’s going on?” Peter asked Natasha slowly, as if she’d lash out and attack him like a wild dog. Natasha would never, but she could see the unease in her son’s eyes.

“Jess is stressed,” Natasha replies softly, bringing Peter into a hug. The teen buried his face in Natasha’s shoulder, having to bend at an awkward angle to do so. “And she’s scared. She doesn’t want any more people to go through what she had to go through, what Hope had to go through, what even Malcolm had to go through.”

“Or Simpson,” Trish adds. She was standing by the front door with MJ under her arm.

“She wants to protect you and Michelle.” Natasha finished, caressing Peter’s cheek as he pulled back. “Help her and me do that Peter, okay? Stay away from Kilgrave.”

He nods. “Yeah, I will, Мама.”

“Good.”

* * *

Peter understood what Natasha was saying, but he did always have a problem with authority. That’s why he was sitting outside of precinct 15, waiting for a familiar head of black hair to approach. It was nearly eight o’clock.

Jessica looked pissed when she saw him and snapped at him to go home. Peter responded by following her right into the precinct. He follows her as she walks up to, presumably, detective Clemons desk and empties out a plastic bag she was holding. Ruben’s head, white and cold slipped onto the desk. Peter flinched backwards in shock. The room gasps.

“I’ve done something terrible,” Jessica says.

She was handcuffed and escorted to an interrogation room. Peter, since he came in WITH Jessica, was also handcuffed but, as a minor, he was stuck to a desk with detective Mahoney. Peter took the opportunity to look at his files. Most included Daredevil. Huh.

Hogarth had come and gone, after having what was sure to be a pleasant conversation with Jessica and detective Clemons.

The precinct door opened and a man walked in. Peter’s spider-sense started ringing a bit louder. Being in a room with armed detectives made Peter uneasy, but he trusted them to not shoot a teenager just BECAUSE. But this… Peter looked up and his heart nearly stopped in his chest.

Kilgrave smiles at him and made his way over.

“Everyone!” Kilgrave beckoned, his voice booming through the precinct. “Aim your gun at yourselves or another detective.” With confusion or fearful expressions, the detectives were compelled to listen. “Detective…” Kilgraved looked at Mahoney’s desk for a name tag. When he didn’t find one, he sighed. “You, go get Jessica Jones, tell her all charges have been dropped.” Mahoney starts to stand. “Oh, and un-cuff the child.”

Mahoney unlocked the handcuffs and Peter glared at Kilgrave as Mahoney went to Jessica.

“Oh, don’t give me that look,” Kilgrave says to Peter, who feels no complement whatsoever to do as Kilgrave says. The Man hums, eyebrows raising in curiosity.

“HOGARTH! I told you to-.” Jessica freezes, detective Clemons on her tail.

“What the hell is going on here? Drop your weapons!” Clemons snaps. No one listens. Mahoney gets behind Clemons and cocks his gun as he points it at the back of his head.

“Brett?” the detective asked uneasily.

“Shut up, don’t move.” Brett Mahoney says icily.

“Oh, everyone, calm down, you're killing the mood.” Kilgrave sighs loudly. He gets up from a desk and walks over to Jessica, addressing her by name. “You're not surprised to see me. You had to know I'd come for you. Not this fast? I... I will admit to keeping eyes on you. Spies are easy to come by, for me.”

“Do whatever you're going to do to me, but let them go.” Jessica was eyeing Peter, who had a gun to his temple from some poor mind-controlled detective.

“Well, I have to protect myself, so...” Kilgrave shrugged.

“Then control me, not them,” Jessica replies.

“I have absolutely no intention of controlling you. I want you to act on your own accord, apparently, I can’t control the teen there.” Kilgrave gestures to Peter. “Maybe it’s due to hormones or an emotional connection, teens are honestly so tiring.”

“Act how?” Jessica asks. “Suicide? Is that why you've been torturing me?”

“Oh, my God. Jessica, I knew you were insecure. That's just sad. I'm not torturing you. Why would I? I love you.”

“You have been ruining... my life-”

“You didn't have a life.”

“-As a demented declaration of love?”

“No, obviously.” Kilgrave denies. “I... I was trying... to show you what I see. That I'm the only one who matches you. Who challenges you. Who'll do anything for you.”

“This is a sick joke. You have killed innocent people.”

“Oh, well, that... That milquetoast little man-boy? He interrupted me while I was leaving you a present, which, apparently, you didn't even find. Come on! You cannot pretend he didn't irritate you, too. I wanted to slap him after 30 seconds. I know. I realize this will take time. But I'm gonna prove it to you.”

Someone’s phone starts to ring. “Whose is that? Whose phone is that?” Kilgrave asks. Kilgrave finds the phone in Clemons's jacket. He throws it over the detective's head. “Next person whose phone rings has to eat it! Crappy fluorescent lights and cockroaches and loud cell phones and the smell of piss. I am trying to profess eternal love here, people!”

“Some shitty love you’ve got to offer there.” Peter sneers from where he was. Kilgrave sighs deeply.

“Shoot the teenager.”

Peter ducks in time to avoid the bullet and quickly takes refuge behind a desk as the detective continues to shoot, even after the gun runs out of bullets and was now making a repetitive clicking noise.

“Leave him alone!” Jessica snaps.

“Stop.” The officer does as told.

“I'll come with you,” Jessica says.

“To protect them. Not out of choice.” Kilgrave replied, nodding in the direction of the officers, still pointing their guns at each other.

“You know me well. We can work out the rest.”

“Oh, please! I am new to love, but I know what it looks like. I do watch television.”

“You deranged prick. You've never loved anyone in your repulsive life.”

“Do not presume to know! Before I met you, I got... everything I wanted. And I didn't realize... how unsatisfactory that was until you left me to die. You are the first thing, excuse me, person... I ever wanted that walked away from me. You made me feel something I had never felt before. Yearning. I actually missed you.”

“Well, I'm here now. You've got me.”

“No, I don't. I'm hoping you'll choose me just like I've chosen you. I believe you will figure out the same thing I did. That we're inevitable.”

Jessica scoffs. Kilgrave approaches a cop who is pointing his gun to someone at a computer.

“Is it all gone?”

“Almost done.” The cop replies. Recent surveillance camera footage is being erased.

“I can't erase memories, but I can erase security footage. All evidence that you two and I were ever here has been deleted.” Kilgrave grabs the plastic bag and chuckles softly as he sees its contents. “Manual decapitation. You... You're full of surprises. In thirty seconds, you'll all realize this was a hilarious joke, and you'll let Jessica Jones leave. Look for my present. And when you are ready... I'll see you at home.”

After Kilgrave leaves with the bag, everyone starts laughing and dropping the guns, Clemons included. Jessica leaves in disbelief, hugging Peter close to her side.


	31. Top Shelf Perverts (part 4)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Introducing:
> 
> Rosa Diaz  
Amy Santiago  
Jake Peralta
> 
> detectives at the Brooklyn Nine-Nine Precinct

Jessica rushes to her apartment, Trish and the others had left (Peter had taken the opportunity to sneak out) and start searching for something.

“Go to Trish’s or where ever Natasha is or just.” Jessica places her hands on Peter’s shoulders, momentarily stopping her search. “Go somewhere safe, Peter, I’ll be fine.”

Peter bites his lip. “I’ll help you look, I’ll leave after.”

Jessica sighs deeply. “Fine.” 

Eventually, they notice a briefcase. Jessica approaches the case and opens it. Inside is a notebook with a blue post-it note reading;  _ Start at the beginning _ . 

Peter opens the book, and the first page reads;  _ Property of JESSICA JONES 1996-1999 _ . After flipping through the pages, Jessica gets up. 

“Go home.”

Peter lingered in the doorway. “Aunt Jess?”

“Yes, Peter?”

“I love you.”

Jessica pauses and looks at him with her eyes watering. “I love you too.”

* * *

Peter knocked rapidly on the apartment door, fidgeting on the front step. It was really cold, and spiders can’t thermoregulate. All in all, Peter was probably going to freeze to death. The door opened and Peter shoved his face into the woman chest.

“Jesus babe!” Amy exclaims. “You’re freezing!” she pulled Peter in and kicked the door closed behind her. “Jake! Can you turn the heater up? Rosa, can you heat up one of those heating packs?”

Peter shivered into Amy’s touch as the woman sat on the couch and shared her warmth with him. “What’s wrong, baby?”

“Kilgrave.” Peter shivered, his eyes screwed tight. “He came into the precinct, I’m scared of what he’s going to Aunt Jess, she got a note from him.”

A thick blanket from, presumably, Jake was draped around the boy and the couch at his feet dipped where someone was now sitting.

“Here, pequeña araña,” Rosa says, placing the warm beanbag looking thing on the blanket. Peter shifted and pulled it under so the heater was resting over his shoulder and therefore closer to his heart.

Rosa was being… uncharacteristically soft, and Peter was going to try his damndest to treasure this moment, all things considered.

“You saw Kilgrave?” Rosa asked. Peter nodded.

“What precinct?” Jake questioned.

“Why were you even at the station?” Amy added.

“Kilgrave broke into Jess’ apartment,” Peter says. “He killed her neighbour, Ruben, and Jess turned herself in for it to get prison protection. It was at precinct fifteen.”

“Estúpida perra.” Rosa cursed.

“What happened after?” Amy continued.

“Kilgrave appeared and he made sure Jessica and I got out without being charged. He said he left Jessica a gift. When Jessica and I got back to her apartment, we looked around for the gift and then Jess told me to leave.”

The adults were silent, then migrated into the kitchen to talk and probably call Natasha.

Peter’s phone vibrated and he tugged it out to read the… numerous messages, he’d missed most of them during the fiasco at the precinct.

** 8:15 pm MJ: Where tf did you go? **

** **

** 8:20 pm MJ: Peter? **

** **

** 8:25 pm MJ: ??????? **

** **

** 8:25 pm MJ: ANSWER YOUR GODDAMN PHONE!! **

** **

** 27 Missed Calls **

“Oops.” Peter murmured, switching to his mother’s contact.

** **

** 8:20 pm мама вдова: ребенок паук are you safe? **

** **

** 8:25 pm мама вдова: Peter? **

** **

** 34 Missed Calls **

** **

MJ must’ve told Natasha he wasn’t answering. He switched to the next contact.

** 8:26 pm (524) 678-5720: Peter, it’s Trish. **

** 8:26 pm (524) 678-5720: Are you okay? Natasha says you’re not answering your phone **

** **

** 8:34 pm (524) 678-5720: ?????? **

** **

** 17 Missed Calls **

** **

He added Trish’s number to his phone and then switched contacts again.

** 8:42 pm Miles: why the fuck is your mom threatening to murder me??? **

** **

** 8:46 pm Spider man: lol sorry **

** **

** 8:46 pm Spider man: Some shit went down **

** **

** 8:46 pm Miles: fuckin talk your mother before she finds my house **

** **

** 8:46 pm Miles: i think she already has the address tbh **

** **

** 8:47 pm Miles: would she really kill me and my family, single handedly?? **

** **

** 8:47 pm Spider man: yes **

** **

** 8:47 pm Miles: F U C K **

** **

Peter sighed and switched contacts again.

** 8:48 pm ребенок паук: I’m with tia Rosa, tia Amy and uncle Jake **

** **

** 8:48 pm ребенок паук: It’s fine, Jessica and I are safe but idk wht she’s doing now **

** **

** 8:48 pm мама вдова: I love you, ребенок паук, but never do that again **

** **

** 8:48 pm ребенок паук: Yes, mama, I love you too <3 **

Peter clicked off his phone and settled into the warmth the blanket and heat pack supplied. He easily dozed off in the heat.

Amy pressed a small kiss to his forehead as the triad retired to bed.

* * *

Peter scrunched his face up uncomfortably as he awoke slightly. His heater was missing and the blanket was at his knees. Peter nuzzled closer to his pillow before realising it was emitting its own warmth.

Natasha was dragging her fingers through Peter’s hair, and MJ was curled up at the corner of the couch. She had actually stolen the blanket from Peter, hence why it was at his knees.

“доброе утро, малыш паук.” Natasha whispered to him. Peter could tell it was still quite early. 1 or 2 am. “иди спать, детка, тебе нужен отдых.”

“Who- how did you get in?” Peter yawned.

“Tia Rosa впусти меня.” Natasha replied.

Peter nodded slowly and nuzzled into the pillow resting on Natasha’s thighs.

“крепко спать, малыш паук.” Natasha whispered. “Я люблю вас.”

“I love you too, мама.”

Peter dozed off again.

Natasha smiled warmly at her son, continuing the knead her fingers through his hair. It was a comfort for both, mother and son. It offered a distraction for Natasha and Peter found it soothing.

Natasha slowly fell asleep with her cheek in her hand and a kink in her neck.

* * *

Jessica is in a taxi, holding her old diary. The taxi passes by the Higgins Drive/Birch Street sign. Once the taxi gets to her old house, she gets out and stares up at the house.

Kilgrave comes out of the front door and Jessica approaches him. Kilgrave opens the door and Jessica enters.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Translation:
> 
> pequeña araña - baby spider  
Estúpida perra - stupid bitch  
доброе утро, малыш паук - good morning, baby spider  
иди спать, детка, тебе нужен отдых - go to sleep, baby, you need rest  
Tia Rosa впусти меня - Aunt Rosa let me in  
крепко спать, малыш паук - sleep soundly, baby spider  
Я люблю вас - I love you


	32. What Would Jessica Do? (part 1)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "What just happened?" *confused Peter gif*

Peter was awake a few hours later. His spider-sense was fuzzy, meaning something bad was going to happen either a far distance from where he was or in an hour-ish. He sluggishly pulled on his suit, which Natasha had thankfully brought along with her, as slung out from the window.

His sense pulled him out to a two-story house. He noticed Simpson’s car waiting on one side of the road, that was interesting. A taxi passes by the Higgins Drive/Birch Street sign. Once the taxi gets to the house, Jessica gets out and stares up at it. Peter hid.

Kilgrave comes out of the front door and Jessica approaches him. Kilgrave opens the door and Jessica enters.

“What the fuck…?” Peter asks himself. He swings to the window and looks in. It’s decorated to the interest of an edgy teenage girl. He tugs the window open, probably breaking the lock in the process, and creeps inside, sliding the window back down.

“My home never had an armed guard.” Jessica’s voice says from downstairs. Peter’s slow to creep out of the room and hover around the top of the staircase. Jessica was standing across from Kilgrave, a man who was presumably the “armed guard” Jessica mentioned.

“Well, that's Hank.” Kilgrave replies. “Say hi, Hank.”

“Hi, Hank.” Peter’s too confused to laugh.

“Sorry, I slip sometimes. Don't misunderstand. Hank's here because he's paid, a lot. Safety first.” The British man explains.

“I wouldn't have walked in the door if I was going to attack you.” Jessica sneers.

“Well, then you won't mind if Hank searches you.” Hank walks forward.

“I mind,” Jessica says, stepping back.

“I'm not gonna command it,” Kilgrave says. “I was serious when I said I wanted you to choose. But trust is a two-way street. Look for any sharps or drugs.” Hank begins searching Jessica. “That Sufentanil you shot me with gave me a wicked headache.”

Hank finds Jessica's cell phone. He touches the screen a couple of times and a recording plays aloud.

“I am Jessica Jones. This is a one-party consent to record conversations with Kilgrave in order to get his confession to the murders of Hope Shlottman's parents.”

“You know how I feel about being recorded.” Kilgrave sighs, taking Jessica’s phone. “So, you came here for a confession?”

“I came here to end the collateral damage you've been piling up around me,” Jessica replies. “The confession was a last-ditch.”

“I knew it wasn't out of love. I'm not delusional. Just... Optimistic. I'll show you around.” He reaches out his hand to her. She recoils.

“You want me to choose?”

“Yes.”

“I choose that you don't touch me.”

“Oh, please-.”

“EVER!”

“I promise I won't touch you until I get your genuine consent. All right, then? Welcome.” Kilgrave shows Jessica around the first floor, Peter couldn’t particularly watch from the top of the stairs but whatever. Jessica looks around the house. It is exactly how it was when she lived there. She examines the height chart on the wall.

“A time-honoured tradition by families everywhere.” Kilgrave muses, noticing Jessica’s gaze. “Not mine, of course. My parents wouldn't dare let their walls be defaced.”

She walks into another room and looks around. She sees a picture of her family, then touches a couch.

“It's the same one.” She says.

“Wasn't easy to find. Mid Ninety’s Sears and Roebuck furniture set.”

“How did you know?”

“I found the realtor who sold this place after your parents died. She had pictures.” Kilgrave explains, only making it slightly less creepy. 

Jessica picks up a picture of her and her brother. “You shouldn’t have.”

“I wanted to. When we were together, I asked what your happiest memories were. You said...?”

“Home.”

“Home.” Kilgrave smiles at her. “I'll introduce you to the staff!” Kilgrave claps, summoning the staff to the room. A man and a woman enter. “This is, um...” He didn’t even know their names. “Tell her your names, please.”

“Laurent Bouchard.” The man says.

“Alva Ramirez.” The woman says.

“I will not stay in a house with slaves.” Jessica seethes.

“Oh, now you're just being sanctimonious.” This guy’s vocabulary, damn. “Tell Jessica whether or not you are happy with your salary.”

“Absolutely.” The man says. “I make twice as much as my last job, from which I was fired due to a drinking problem.”

“See? Some of us give people a second chance.” Kilgrave turns to the staff. “That's all, you may leave.”

Laurent and Alva leave. Jessica says nothing for a few moments. “I’m tired.”

“Your room awaits.” Kilgrave heads to the stairs and Peter panics. He positioned himself behind the stairs wall frame. And since as three (Hank followed them) people stepped up the stairs.

“Shared bathroom. It's quite the cosy home you had back in the day. This was little Phillip's room.” He reaches for the doorknob. Jessica stops him.

“No.”

“Ah. Lot of feelings for the dead brother, huh? I get that. You're not all hard edges, Jessica Jones. Now, for the coup de grâce.” He opens the door to her bedroom. She walks inside and looks around. Peter realises it was the same bedroom he’d some in through.

“I worked hard on this. I used a magnifying glass on the pictures of your room to ID the CDs.” Kilgrave says. Jessica looks at the windowsill, where her binoculars are.

Peter snuck into the room and took shelter behind the door, watching through the gap between the door and the wall.

“Yeah, just where you left them. Oh, Jesus, Jessica. A little appreciation wouldn't hurt anyone. P.I. bug got you early, huh?” He picks up the binoculars. “Just imagine little 14-year-old you. Peeping in on the neighbours. There's nothing to be ashamed of. We all like to see what goes on behind closed doors.”

Jessica's cell phone vibrates. Kilgrave takes it out.

“Oh, it's Patsy! Answer it if you want to.” He holds out the phone. Jessica doesn't take it. “You're not my prisoner. Here.” He answers the phone and hands it to Jessica. It’s on speakerphone.

“Jess? Jess, what the hell is going on?” Trish’s voice asks.

“I'm here,” Jessica replies.

“Jess, I called the precinct. You're not in jail. What the hell happened?”

“Kilgrave showed up at the station.”

“Are you all right? Was anyone hurt?”

“No, but I had to get out of there. I left the city as fast as I could. I'm sorry, I should have called.”

“Do you want to invite her over?” Kilgrave whispered.

“Well, how do I know this is not like last time? When he had you acting like everything was fine?”

“Because Kilgrave is a psychotic, repulsive, waste of a human being, and if I were under his control, he would never let me say that.”

Kilgrave points at her and smiles.

“You'll need money.”

“I'm covered. Just let me do this, okay, Trish?”

“Everyone's disappearing.”

“Everyone?”

“Simpson's gone. He put in a leave of absence at work and then flat-out disappeared. I'm worried Kilgrave's got him.”

Jessica looks at Kilgrave. He shrugs.

“Peter’s gone too, Natasha said he went to Amy’s apartment then disappeared sometime in the morning,” Trish adds.

“They’ll show up. I'll be in touch, okay?”

“I'm tired of missing you.”

“I gotta go.” Jessica hangs up and hands the phone to Kilgrave.

“Oof. Rough being your friend.” Kilgrave comments. “Now, this is for you.” He touches a box on her bed.

“Laurent and whats-her-name are cooking up a storm for us. You're welcome to come down whenever you're hungry.” Kilgrave leaves, Hank follows.

Jessica closes and locks the door, then reels back in shock when she sees Peter. “Jesus!” she snaps, propping up a chair against the door to prevent it from being opened. “What’re you doing here!?”

“My spider-sense was going off!” Peter defended himself.

“What do you-” Jessica growled. “Fuck- just- whatever! Stay here, stay quiet and don’t get caught.”

“What do you take me for, Aunty Jess?”

Jessica scoffed. She wanders over to her bed and opens the box. Inside is a note that says; _TO NEW BEGINNINGS_. Underneath that is a sparkly dress. Jessica tears it up. She lies down on her bed and groans loudly. Peter goes over to her closet and opens it.

“What the fuck are you doing?” Jessica asks.

“Finding better clothes than this,” Peter replied, pulling out a black hoodie and a pair of ripped jeans.

“Yeah, good luck fitting into that.” Jessica sneers.

“You underestimate me, dearest.” Peter quips.

“Ew.”


	33. What Would Jessica Do? (part 2)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I fucking hate Simpson

Peter had actually pulled off Jessica’s skinny jeans, but he’d really just used the “disguise” to sit in the window sill and watch out the window. Simpson’s car was still outside, that was incredibly suspicious. But, it took a while and Peter’s boredom lolled him to sleep. Jessica had fallen asleep earlier as well so the locked door was probably a good thing.

Peter was awoken to a hand over his mouth and an arm tight around his waist. Peter squirmed and attempted to scream, flailing his arms and kicking. Hank carried Peter downstairs and Kilgrave looked at him with a sigh.

“You again.” He mused, looking to Jessica. “You bring this child everywhere? What is he to you?”

Jessica scowls. “Let him go.”

Kilgrave sighs. “Let the child go.” Hank lets Peter go and the teen rubbed his gut whilst glaring between the guard and Kilgrave. The man gestures to a chair Hank placed next to Jessica’s. “Have a seat.”

Peter took it and Hank left.

“Look at us!” Kilgrave beamed. “Super strength and mind control in the same house. Amazing. Regardless, dinner is ready. I've had Chef Bouchard prepare your favourite meal, Pasta Amatriciana.”

“That's your favourite meal.” Jessica scowls. “Now it makes me nauseous. I'll be having a liquid dinner.” She chugs her third glass of wine. 

Laurent looks at Kilgrave who nods. Laurent stops preparing to serve the food. Jessica finishes her third glass and starts pouring a fourth. “Another bottle, please.”

“You ever think you might drink too much?” Kilgrave asks.

“It's the only way I get through my goddamn days after what you did to me.”

“You blame me for your drinking problem?”

“It's the truth.”

“Come one, it wasn't all bad. I mean, certainly, it ended roughly.”

“You call making me murder a woman _ending roughly_?”

“Now, now, let's be clear. I did not tell you to kill Reva.”

“What?”

“If you remember, I said, _Take care of her_. Not kill her. You chose to punch her.”

“You goddamn son of a bitch!” Jessica smashes a bottle of wine against the wall. Laurent and Alva come in and hold razors to their own necks. “I knew you had a safeguard in place.”

“Aha, testing boundaries, were you?” Kilgrave asks. “Smart. I didn't see that coming. One of the many reasons I like you.”

“You said you weren't going to use your powers.”

“I said I wouldn't control you. You can stop with the razors.” Laurent and Alva remove the razors from their necks and sigh. “They're in place until we've built some trust.”

“Until I choose you?” Jessica asks.

“You really do have a knack for destroying the poetry of the heart, don't you?”

Laurent and Alva begin to leave.

“D-d-d-d,” Kilgrave calls, stopping the pair. “Clean up the mess that our guest has made.

They begin cleaning up the broken bottle.

“I'm full, and I'm tired.” Jessica gets up and drags Peter with her as she begins to walk away. Before she leaves the room, she addresses Laurent and Alva. “I'm sorry.”

Whilst walking to her room, Jessica notices that the door to Phillip's room is ajar. She opens it a little. Simpson jumps out and grabs her. She pins him against a wall.

“What the hell are you doing?” Jessica hisses. Peter bites his lip and looks back down the hall before closing the door to Philip’s room.

“I'm getting you out of here! You're under his control.” Simpson hisses.

“No, I'm not!”

“That's what he'd make you say.”

“I'm not under his control. I know what I'm doing.”

Simpson pins her up against a wall.

“Is everything all right up there?” Kilgrave calls.

“I tripped. I'm drunk. Just stay out of my shit!” Jessica yells back. She throws Simpson off. “I'm not under his goddamn control or I would have given you up. You have to get out of here.”

“You're coming with me. I put a bomb in the basement to kill that asshole downstairs.” Simpson says.

“What the fuck!?” Peter hisses.

“Shit.” Jessica curses. She drags the boys him into her room and closes the door. “You can't kill him with Hope still in jail!”

“Well, you can't let him live. He's too dangerous.”

“Innocent people are living in this house.” Peter hisses.

“Well, I'll time the explosion to when they take out the trash.” Simpson reasons.

“No! I am handling it. You kill him and you kill me, and I will haunt you for the rest of your life.” She begins rummaging around in Simpson's jacket.

“What're you...” She takes a phone out of his jacket and puts it in her pocket.

“I'm keeping this. I am here because I have to be, because I want to be. You have to leave, now.”

Kilgrave knocks on the door. “Jessica?”

“Shit.” She opens the door.

“I hope everything's all right.”

“It isn't. There's a bomb in the basement. Get Hank.” Simpson is hiding behind the door. Jessica and Kilgrave leave, Peter stays.

“GET. OUT.” Peter hisses, pointing towards the window. “We know what we’re doing.”

Simpson looks like he wants to argue, but decides against it and leaves.

Jessica comes back a minute later. “Did he leave?” 

“Yeah.”

* * *

Peter was wide awake and watching the only half-interesting on TV. A news report.

“Live on the scene to our WHIH field reporter for the latest updates on this developing and unfolding hostage standoff.”

“The father has been holding the wife and two children at gunpoint for the last 40 minutes. Neighbours have reported the sound of a gunshot coming from the hostage taker's apartment earlier today. NY-.”

Jessica gets up and turns off the TV. 

“Hey!” Peter complained.

Jessica looks outside with her binoculars, watching her neighbours. “Make it goddamn right, Jones.” She whispers to herself. Peter made a face.

Kilgrave sits outside at a table with some breakfast. Jessica and Peter join him. He watches as they approach.

“What?” Jessica asks.

“Just waiting to see which Jessica I'm going to get.”

Jessica begins pouring some coffee. Kilgrave snaps his fingers, summoning Alva and Laurent, who come out with food.

“When I was a kid, we used to eat breakfast out here,” Jessica says.

“Okay, trying to make an effort Jessica.” Kilgrave sighs.

“More like trying to make a shit situation tolerable.”

“I'll take that.”

Alva and Laurent place down the food. Jessica grabs some of it. Kilgrave watches her, saying nothing.

“Do your actions ever haunt you?” Peter asks.

Kilgrave considers him. “Before I met Jessica, I rarely dwelled on anything.”

“Not even Hope's family?” Peter asked. “I mean, how would you feel if someone forced you to off your parents?”

“Wouldn't have to force me.” Kilgrave replies.

“You never talked to me about them.” Jessica cuts in suddenly. “Why is that?”

“Rather not relive it.” Kilgrave replies.

“So, killing Hope's parents, that was really about them?” she continues.

“No, that was all about you,” Kilgrave admits. “I was mad at you for literally throwing me under the bus.”

“Jessie Jones, is that you?” an old woman asks from the neighbour fence.

“Shit.”


	34. What Would Jessica Do? (part 3)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jessica: *drinks her bs sensing tea*
> 
> Kilgrave: *sweats nervously*

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: mention of rape, mention of torture (kind of- it's Kilgrave's origin story)

“Who is this lovely creature?” Kilgrave asks.

“Nosy neighbour.” Jessica hisses under her breath. “Let me get her out of here.” Jessica stands up to greet the neighbour. “Hi, Mrs De Luca.”

“Oh, Jessie! It's been so long. Oh!” De Luca hugs Jessica. “Look at you. Such a lovely woman. Oh, and returning home with such a handsome husband! Oh, and a son!?”

Kilgrave gets up.

“No, we're not married, Peter’s my nephew,” Jessica says.

“Oh. I've known Jessie since she was tiny. Oh, the stories I could tell.” De Luca nostalgias.

“Unfortunately we don't have time-.”

“I'm Elizabeth De Luca. And you are?” She and Kilgrave shake hands.

“Intrigued. I would love to hear all about my little Jessie.”

“Well, I was there when her parents brought her home from the hospital.”

“Really?”

“Yep. Such a pair of tonsils, that girl! I mean, I didn't get a lick of sleep for those first few months.”

“Well, I hope our caterwauling hasn't kept you up.” Kilgrave chuckles. “Join us.”

“Oh!” Kilgrave pulls out a chair for her and she sits down.

“Oh, bacon! Do you mind?”

“Make yourself at home.” De Luca takes some of the food and begins eating.

“So what was Jessie and her family like? She told me all the surface stuff. Dad was a mechanic. Mum was a... professor of something or other.”

“I'm sure she's busy-.”

“Yeah, uh... Alisa taught math.”

“Math.”

“She was a great teacher, but a terrible cook.” De Luca smiles. “You know, when my husband died, she brought over her- the absolute worst meatloaf.”

“Must be where you get your cooking skills from, honey.” Kilgrave nudges Jessica who fake smiles.

“I loved the Joneses, but they had their problems. I remember some nights when Brian and Alisa would just fight like cats and dogs.”

“That's not true,” Jessica says.

“Oh, honey. I know that they loved each other, but everybody's got their troubles.”

“Lord knows that's true.” Kilgrave laughs. “So what about our girl of the hour?”

“Oh, she was the strangest tomboy. She wore princess dresses with high-tops.”

“Really?” Kilgrave asks. “I can't get her to wear a dress for the life of me.”

“I'll wear one to your funeral.” Jessica sneers. De Luca laughs.

“Oh, there's that sharp wit. Oh, I remember this one day- I'm sure you remember this, too- you duct-taped Phillip to a tree. It was terrible. You, I didn't blame her. I mean, he was such a juvenile delinquent.”

“No, he wasn't. He was a great kid.” Jessica denies.

“Oh, yes, of course, he was, but the timing was awful. I mean, just the very next day, I mean, there you were leaving for vacation-.”

“Please stop.”

“I knew something terrible was gonna happen. Not a day goes by that I don't regret not warning you. You've no idea what a burden I've had to live through all these years.”

“Did you really have a sense that that terrible accident was gonna happen?” Kilgrave asks. “Tell the truth now.”

De Luca hesitates. “No, I... didn't.”

“Then why would you say such a horrible thing?”

“It makes me feel important.”

“Isn't that a shitty thing to do?” De Luca begins tearing up and nods. “Say it.”

“Yes, it is.”

“What would you want to do to someone who said that to you?”

“I'd want to slap them.” Kilgrave looks at Jessica, who shakes her head.

“All right, leave.” De Luca leaves.

“That was just a teensy bit satisfying, don't you think?” Kilgrave asks.

“A little.”

“You're welcome.” He puts his hand on hers. She throws it off.

“I told you not to touch me!” She gets up and walks inside.

“For God's sake.” Kilgrave curses, following her.

Peter listened from the table, nibbling on what was breakfast.

“Come on, Jessie.” Kilgrave nags.

“Do not call me that.” Jesica spat.

“We used to do a lot more than just touch hands.”

“Yeah. It's called rape.” Peter choked.

“What? Which part of staying in five-star hotels, eating in all the best places, doing whatever the hell you wanted, is rape?”

“The part where I didn't want to do any of it! Not only did you physically rape me, but you violated every cell in my body and every thought in my goddamn head!”

“That is not what I was trying to do.”

“It doesn't matter what you were trying to do. You raped me.”

“No.”

“Again, and again, and again.”

“How am I supposed to know? Huh? I never know if someone is doing what they want or what I tell them to!”

“Oh, poor you.”

“You have no idea, do you? I have to painstakingly choose every word I say. I once told a man to go screw himself. Can you even imagine?”

“Jesus.”

“I didn't have this. A home, loving parents, a family.”

“You blame bad parenting? My parents died! You don't see me raping anyone.”

“I hate that word.”

“Just admit it. Your parents had nothing to do with why you forced me-.”

“Do you want to see? Do you want to see what they put me through?”

he slams something small onto a table. Peter wandered inside to check up on Jessica. Kilgrave was showing her on a computer what's on the flash drive, the thing he pulled from his pocket. He pulls up a video from the drive.

“Watch this and tell us which one of us was truly violated. Welcome to my home.”

**In the video, a young Kilgrave is in a lab, hooked up to a machine. There are some blocks on the table in front of him.**

**_“Put the pieces back together in the correct pattern.”_ A man says. **

**The young Kilgrave shakes his head.**

** _“Kevin, please. We need to see if your fine motor skills have improved.”_ A woman adds.**

“That's my loving mum and dad.” IRL Kilgrave informs.

**_“Come on, Kevin. You know what you're supposed to do.”_ His father beckons.**

“Scientists bent on turning me into a freak.”

In the video, the young Kilgrave begins putting the blocks together. Kilgrave skips the video ahead to when the young Kilgrave is done with the blocks.

“Neurological exams, fluoroscopy-” In the video, a woman takes the blocks away. “-brain biopsies. And my personal favourite, cerebral spinal fluid extractions.”

**In the video, Kilgrave's dad grabs a large syringe. _“Hold still, son. This will only sting a bit.”_ He pushes Kilgrave's head down on the table. His mother braces him. His dad prepares the injection.**

**_“This will all be over before you know it.”_**

** **

** _ “No, mummy, please!”_ **

** **

**_ “Don't move.” _The young Kilgrave screams as the syringe goes into the top of his spine.**

“While your dad played with you on the front lawn, my dad prepped me for my fourth elective surgery. How's that for love?”

**In the video, the young Kilgrave stops screaming. _“Stop!”_ His dad takes the syringe out of his neck.**

**_“Kevin, dear, we're not finished.”_ His mother says.**

** _“Calm down. If you just-.”_ **

** _“Getaway!”_ His parents move away from him.**

**_“Albert... What's happening?” _his mother asks.**

**_“What's going on? Kevin?”_ his father, Albert asks.**

**_“Kevin.” _His mother warns.** **The young Kilgrave looks directly in the camera.**

Kilgrave closes the computer. “Like you, this power was forced upon me. I thought you of all people would understand.” Kilgrave takes the computer into the other room and turns on the TV.

“According to local PD, both state and local PD are cooperating. A hostage negotiator is currently communicating via bullhorn.” The first reporter says. Jessica gets up and leaves. “Apparently, all cell phone communication has been suspended.”

“And we can see that here, in some of the footage, um, just right there, you see on the left side, where the arrow is pointing...” Jessica enters the room.

“That's what you wanted from Reva.” She says, referring to the flash drive.

“It was the only evidence left of how I was made.”

“So no one knows you exist, except your parents, if they're still alive.”

“Probably. They were young. They ran away. From promising careers, and their ten-year-old son.”

“You're not ten anymore.”

Jessica sits down and watches TV with them.

“We do have a neighbour who has called in, and we believe that the husband's first name is Chuck. That is, um, that's brand new information...” the second reporter says.

“All this shit that you do is because nobody ever taught you how to be good?” Jessica asks.

“I truly hope you're not laughing at me, Jessica.”

“No, I'm not. I'm just thinking.”

“-which alerted local PD. According to sources on the scene, the father has been holding his wife and two children at gunpoint for several hours now.” The first reporter continued.

“I think we should go for a ride.” She gets up from the couch and puts her jacket on.

“I assume you have a destination in mind?” Kilgrave asks.

“Yep.”

“How long will it take?”

“I don't know. Two hours.”

“All right. Alva? Laurent?” Alva and Laurent enter the room. “If I'm not back within two hours, please remove the skin from each other's faces.”

Kilgrave walks out the door. 

Alva and Laurent look horrified. 

Jessica walks out the door, dragging a shocked Peter by the wrist.


	35. What Would Jessica Do? (part 4)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> *happy Kilgrave gif* “The look on that woman's face. The genuine awe and gratitude for me. Is that why you did the whole superhero thing?”

The trio arrives at the hostage scene being shown on the news.

“Oh, you want me to do the hero thing.” Kilgrave realises.

“Yep,” Jessica replies.

“Leave me alone!” the man with the gun, Chuck, yells of a window. He slams the window shut.

“Come on.” Jessica beckoned.

She walks away. Kilgrave follows.

“I don't give two shits about these people. I don't want to do this. I don't want the attention it could bring.” Kilgrave says.

“Well, you can stay here or you can be a chicken shit. Either way, I'm going in.” Jessica retorts.

“You don’t have to care about them,” Peter says. “They might not even be good people, but they shouldn’t have to die. Not like this.”

Kilgrave sighs and follows the pair. They were blocked by a cop.

“Stop, you can't come through here.”

Jessica looks at Kilgrave and gestures to the officer.

Kilgrave sighs. Again. “Let us through.”

“Yes, sir.” Kilgrave and Jessica walk to the back of the house. Two officers are there.

“Woah, Woah, Woah, Woah, Woah. What are you doing here?”

“We can go about our business, move along. Move along.” The two officers move out of the way. Jessica and Kilgrave enter through the back gate into the backyard.

“Obi-Wan Kenobi?” Jessica asks.

“But cooler.” Kilgrave replies

“You guys know Star Wars?” Peter asks.

They approach the house. There's a grate in the way.

“Oh, well, that's that, then.” Jessica tears the grate off of the door and breaks open the door. They walk inside.

“Stop your goddamned crying!” Chuck yells.

“Then let us go, Chuck.” A woman, probably his wife replies.

“I can't take it when you're crying!”

“You can't do this.”

“All of you shut up!” Chuck is holding a shotgun to his family. Jessica and Kilgrave walk in. Chuck turns to them and cocks his gun.

“Don't shoot. Don't move, Chuck.” Kilgrave deadpans.

“Can you walk?” Jessica asks, helping the woman up and Peter does the young kids.

“Who are you?”

“You need to get outside. The police will help you. Come on.”

“You can't just-.”

“Oh, shut up, Chuck.” Kilgrave rolled his eyes at the man.

The woman leads her kids outside, then turns to Kilgrave. “Thank you. Thank you.”

He looks surprised. “Don't tell anyone we were here.”

“Go, now!” Jessica yelled.

Once the family leaves, Kilgrave addresses Chuck. “Well, now that's out of the way, put the barrel of the gun into your mouth.”

Chuck puts the gun in his mouth.

“No!” Peter snapped.

“You can't kill him,” Jessica says.

“No, but he can kill himself. The man's clearly insane. He is never gonna be a productive member of society.”

“That is not for you to decide.” Jessica retorts.

“He will go to prison and feed off the tit of the taxpayers-.”

“You've never paid a goddamn tax in your life.”

“Fair enough, all right. What would Jessica do?”

“Make him turn himself over to the police.”

Kilgrave chuckles and turns to Chuck. “Shotgun's too messy anyway. Put the gun down, turn yourself over to the police.” Chuck whimpers as he takes the gun out of his mouth and throws it down. He begins to leave. “And do not tell anyone about us.”

He turns back to Peter and Jessica. “What a waste of energy.”

“Was it? You just saved four lives.” Jessica leaves with Peter. Kilgrave watches her. 

* * *

“I want cake!” Kilgrave demands. “Chocolate, with strawberries on top.” Laurent and Alva leave to make the cake. Jessica walks in. “The look on that woman's face. The genuine awe and gratitude for me. Is that why you did the whole superhero thing?”

“I don't know,” Jessica replies.

“Or was that about balancing the scales? All that survivor's guilt you carry around, because of-.”

“It doesn't work like that.”

“Why not? You're so outraged by all the people I've affected.” Kilgrave explains. “Do the moral maths. How many more lives do you think I'd have to save to get back to zero?”

“Saving someone doesn't mean un-killing someone else.” Peter deadpans.

“Well, even so, we should do this more often, without Peter dragging us down. Think of all the people we could help; all the crimes we could stop. We'd be a hell of a dynamic duo.”

“You don't need me to do that.”

“Are you kidding me? That man almost blew his brains out, which I genuinely thought was the right thing to do. I can't be a hero without you.”

Jessica sighs and walks away. “Oh, my God. You're right.”

“I've got a whole new purpose in life. It's exciting. You and me, together, we can change the world.” Jessica begins to leave. Kilgrave blocks her way.

“Hey, what're you doing?”

“I need to go for a walk alone.”

“Why? I thought this was what you wanted!”

“I need to think. It's just a walk.”

“Well, I hope so. I don't think Alva and Laurent could survive the let-down if you didn't come back.” Kilgrave threatens.

“I came here of my own free will. Trust that I'll come back. If not for myself than for him.” Jessica gestured to Peter with her head then slams the front door behind her.

Kilgrave looks at Peter, who tenses under the sudden attention. “Well then.”


	36. What Would Jessica Do? (part 5)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> *sad Peter gif*

“Let’s play a game.” Peter beckons. Kilgrave gives the teenager a curious look. He pulls a packet of cards out of his pocket.

“Do you just… carry those on you?” He asks slowly.

“Yes,” Peter replies with no shame. “Let’s start with Cheat.”

“There’s a card game called _Cheat_?”

“Yes.” Peter shuffles the cards and separates the pack between the two of them. “You have to place the cards face down and say what you’ve placed, ace, two, three, etcetera. Your opponent can call cheat after your turn if they suspect you of lying; if they’re correct, you have to pick up the pile, if they’re wrong, they have to pick up the pile. The aim of the game is the get rid of all your cards before your opponent. You must have your turn and order can only be one above or below the set number. You can place as many cards as you want.”

Kilgrave hums, looking over his cards. “Alright then.” He places a card on the floor. “One ace.”

“Three twos,” Peter replies, placing three cards face down. “Y’know, I think this game works better when there’s three or more people.”

“Probably,” Kilgrave muses. “Two threes.”

The game continued until they got bored.

* * *

“Is she back yet?” Kilgrave asks. Laurent and Alva are staring out some windows with Peter sitting on the floor between them. He’d rather stare at anything rather than the other people in the room.

“No,” Laurent replied.

“Please, please, can we close our eyes now? Just for a moment!” Alva pleaded. Peter cringed at the helplessness in her voice.

“You can blink when Jones returns and not a minute before! Don't want you missing her.” Kilgrave responds. Laurent says something in French. Kilgrave throws some nuts at him. “Oh, shut up! You think you've got problems?”

Jessica's phone vibrates in Kilgrave's pocket. He checks it. He responds and has a back and forth with whoever was contacting Jessica. Kilgrave chuckles and puts the phone away once he’s done.

Outside, a taxi pulls up.

“She's here, she's returned!” Alva exclaims happily. Laurent and Alva both rub their eyes. Kilgrave gets up and looks outside. Jessica gets out of the cab with some bags.

“Clean up this mess. Wipe your faces. I'm gonna make myself presentable.”

The three leave and Peter hugs Jessica the second she walks through the door. “Just follow my lead.” She whispers to him. Jessica lays out Chinese food over the kitchen table when Kilgrave enters.

“You came back.” He says.

“I remembered you like Chinese food as much as you like Italian,” Jessica replies. “It's got noodles, too.”

“Why did you come back?” Kilgrave asks.

“You were right,” Jessica replies.

“About what?”

“Maybe about you and me.” Jessica hums. “Maybe we can balance the scales a bit.”

“Well, we should certainly try,” Kilgrave says.

“If this hero thing doesn't pan out, I am out of here,” Jessica adds. “Laurent, Alva, dinner's up!”

Laurent and Alva enter the room.

“Do they need to eat with us?” Kilgrave asks.

“First step in heroism,” Jessica says, pointing at him with a fork. “Don't be a prick.” Laurent and Alva sit at the table. “Dig in.” Kilgrave doesn't touch his food. “Oh, for Christ's sake.” She reaches over and takes some of his food. “You can't ingest Sufentanil.”

He eats some of the food. “It's not bad.”

“Jesus, you're such a food snob.” She spills some food on herself. “Oh, shit.” Alva begins to get up. “Nope, I got it. Sit.”

Alva sits back down. Jessica gets up to dig through her bag. Alva half stands again choking.

“Alva, what's the matter?” Kilgrave asks as the maid passes out on, followed by Laurent. Jessica approaches Kilgrave with a napkin and puts it over his mouth as he struggles. She injects him with something.

“This is what Jessica would do.” She hisses into his ear.

Kilgrave passes out. Jessica grabs the lab top and the flash drive and puts both in her bag. Peter picks up Kilgrave and takes him outside. They look around and see that the area is covered with trees.

Jessica curses.

She runs over to where trees aren't blocking the sky. As she does so, Hank tackles her from the side. He pulls out a gun. Peter pulls him off and holds Kilgrave in front of them as a human shield.

“Don't move. Let him go.” Hanks says, aiming his gun at them.

“You've seen what he does,” Jessica says. “What he can do. Whatever he's paying you, it's not enough.”

“You are harming my client. I can legally shoot you. Drop him now.” Someone else shoots Hank first and he falls to the ground. Simpson runs over and knocks him out.

“Good job. Now let me finish him.” Simpson says.

“I can't,” Jessica says.

“You've already done the hard part.” The officer replies. “Let his death be on me. You could walk away and get on with your life.” Simpson's friends approach and block Jessica's path.

“Stop right there.” One says.

“Don't move.” the second added.

“There's nowhere to go.” Simpson finishes, as if they'd choreographed it.

“I can't let you kill him.” Jessica hisses. “Sorry.”

Jessica leaps away, Peter uses his web-shooters to follow her. Simpson and his men look on in awe.

“What the hell was that?”

“Woah. Did she just fly?”

“That's impossible.”

Simpson swears. He and his men walk away. Mrs De Luca approaches them.

“Excuse me? Are you Officer Simpson?”

“Ma'am, you shouldn't be out here.” The officer replies.

“Kilgrave asked me to give you this.” She hands him a paper bag. He looks inside. It's the bomb from earlier.

“Bomb!” De Luca sets off the bomb. Simpson and his men jump for cover. The bomb explodes, killing De Luca and destroying a nearby car. Simpson is heavily injured and unconscious.

Peter forced himself to keep going, he forced himself to ignore the voices he could still hear, mixed with the neighbours and pets. He forced himself to ignore the panic attack settling into his stomach.


	37. Sin Bin (part 1)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> *dramatic Jessica gif* "You are not a hero"

“Smile, Kevin.” Jessica sneers. Peter perked up from his homework – worksheets Natasha collected from school for him to do (The spy was actually watching over Jessica’s shoulder. MJ was still with Trish) – and looked over towards the sealed room. Kilgrave was up and watching a recording Jessica had set up to project on the wall behind him.

**_“Be a big boy for Mummy and Daddy, Kevin.”_ The mother says. In the video, the young Kilgrave begins wailing.**

**_“You don't see Eric crying when he goes in the sin bin.”_** **His father adds.**

“You lied to me!” Kilgrave snaps, his voice muffled incredibly by the glass. Jessica couldn’t hear him. He continues yelling regardless. After a few moments, Jessica turns on a speaker to be able to hear him. “-built up my trust, pretended we were a team? You even made me a hero. All this while you were planning this? Why?”

“Because you're not a hero,” Jessica replies. “You're a murderer, Kevin.”

“Shut up.”

“Go ahead, command me again. That's a hermetically sealed room, Kevin.”

“Kevin died in that lab.”

“Granted it is a mundane name, but _Kilgrave_? Talk about obvious. Was _Murdercorpse_ already taken?”

“You have feelings for me, Jessica. If you didn't, I'd be dead.”

“There are worse things than death.” Natasha finally speaks up.

“Don't be melodramatic.” Kilgrave scoffs.

“Like being the slave to a sociopathic killer,” Jessica adds to Natasha’s statement, ignoring Kilgrave.

“I've never killed anyone.” Kilgrave sneers. “Can you say the same?”

Jessica reaches to hit a red button next to her but stops. “If you wanna build trust, start by admitting what you did. To me, to Hope, to Ruben.”

“I thought P.I.s were supposed to be clever.”

“Start at the beginning, Kevin,” Natasha says into the microphone.

They have a camera set up to record him in the seal.

“Um... “ he starts. “It was a cold, clear night when I came across a young beauty being savagely attacked down a dark alley.”

“Don't make me hurt you,” Jessica growls.

“I saved you, dried your tears, fed you dinner,” Kilgrave says. “And later, we made sweet, sweet love.”

Jessica presses the button, electrifying the water. Kilgrave screams in pain and falls to the floor.

“Forgot to mention,” she adds with a snark. “The water in your room is a conductor to an open wire. It was jerry-rigged by a former Spec Ops interrogator. Clearly, he knows his shit.”

“I'm impressed. I never realized you were such a bitch.”

“Yeah, well, this bitch is in control of you now, asshole.”

* * *

Kilgrave paces in the room. In the video, Kevin is crying. Jessica changes the video to another young boy being experimented on. A doctor speaks in Mandarin. She switches in again to a young girl, who looks down in horror to see her hands have been amputated. She switches it to another girl who has a contraption on her legs and is screaming.

“So you weren't the only lab rat? Reva knew about this, didn't she? And that's why you wanted her dead.”

“I never touched that woman.”

“Where are these other kids? You killed for this video, and you never thought to look for the other kids? Afraid of the competition?”

“Come on, you're a better sleuth than that. They were all in different labs. I was too busy looking for my own sadistic parents to care about strange children.”

“Maybe you killed them all.” Suddenly Kilgrave gets up and starts screaming.

Hogarth entered the room. “Help me! I'm being held captive by a mad-.”

Jessica electrocutes him. He falls to the floor, shouting in pain.

“What the hell are you doing?” Hogarth asks, eyeing Natasha and Peter before focusing on Jessica.

“Please don't let her-.”

“Stop! Now!”

“Oh, God bless. God bless you. Oh, God bless you.” Kilgrave cries as if he was innocent.

“This was your plan?” Hogarth asks.

“My plan was to cut his balls off, but now I'll settle for a confession,” Jessica replies.

“Under duress. It'll be inadmissible. Worse, it'll indict you. Let him go and hope that he doesn't press charges.” Hogarth says.

“The second you share the same air with him, he will make you put your head through a window. You've heard from those survivors.”

“That's all you have, hearsay. Where's the proof?”

“I have video. His parents-.”

“Were evil scientists, yes. I listened to the files you sent. But there's nothing to link the boy in that video to the man you are torturing.”

“Then I will make a new video and force him to use his abilities.”

“There is no time.”

“Since when?”

“The DA is offering Hope a plea bargain.”

“What?” Jessica asks “Why now?”

“All the stories, all the crazy claims coming out of the woodwork, make for bad press. They want it done.”

“No. I am too close. I have him.”

“Hope will do twenty years. Maybe fifteen for good behaviour. If she turns it down, she could do life. I have a legal obligation to present this pela deal to my client.”

“So you haven't told her yet?”

“I wanted to see what you had.”

Jessica sighs and begins walking away. “One juror, right? That's all we need, is one juror to believe in Kilgrave's mind control. That's reasonable doubt.”

“Technically. But any video would be dismissed as staged.” Hogarth gets a text. “Shit.”

“What, is it the DA?”

“No, no. You know what, Jessica? I have problems of my own. I have a life, I have a fiancé, a vindictive ex.”

“Hogarth, tell me how to legitimize the video.”

“You need a witness with legal authority.”

“What, like a cop? Or a judge?”

“Either. But the DA is giving us a forty-eight-hour window for this plea deal.”

“I'll have a cop here in three. Will you just... wait here?” Jessica asks.

“You are in no position to ask me to do anything. You have done absolutely nothing to help me.” Hogarth replies.

“Kilgrave's seen you, Hogarth. You're already implicated.”

“You set me up.”

“You need to see this through with me.”

“Goddamn it.”

“Don't look at him, don't talk to him, and don't listen to him.”

“Or he'll mind control me.”

“No, because he's an asshole. His powers don't work through a mic, so you'd have to go in the room. Don't do that either.”

Jessica leaves. Hogarth sees Kilgrave staring at her and turns around. She then turns to Natasha.

“How does Jessica know Black Widow?”

“We’re good friends,” Natasha replied with a shrug. “You’ve met my son, haven’t you?” she gestures to Peter. He waves.

“Oh, fuck.”


	38. Sin Bin (part 2)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> TW: Mentions of rape

Hogarth sits outside the room, texting her lawyer. Eventfully she calls her ex.

“Wendy, if I get disbarred, you will get ninety per cent of nothing. Yesterday it was seventy-five.”

“And if it was a hundred you'd still be getting off easy,” Wendy replied.

“Since when do you care so much about money?”

“Since you started spending all of ours on your secretary.”

“Oh, I didn't. I didn't touch a penny of your money.”

“What are you calling mine? I turned down fieldwork for you, I pulled doubles every day to pay for law school. I don't-.”

“You got your money's worth.”

“What?”

“I foot the bill while you played Mother Teresa.”

“Now you resent me for helping poor people. That's a new low.”

“Wendy, even if you take all of my money, it will not change how I feel about Pam.”

“No, but it'll hurt. I won't be the only one left bleeding on the floor.”

“And you call me the heartless one. Wendy, I'm sorry. I take that back. I know we can agree on a number- Wendy?” she’d hung up.

Kilgrave knocks on the glass. She turns around and looks at him. He points to the speakers. Natasha decides to humour him and turn them on turns them on.

“Do you need anything?” Hogarth asks.

“A good lawyer. Do you know one?” He replies.

“I'll get you a referral.”

“Bitches, right?” Kilgrave asks, earning a shocked look from Hogarth. “Trouble with your ex. Wendy, is it? Sorry, I was reading your lips. Could be Randy, but I think not. Threatening to expose you? Sounds hideous.”

“Jessica tell you that?”

“Hardly. Jessica doesn't let anyone in, except, apparently, Russian spies and their kids.” He was looking at Natasha intently. She glared right back at him. Kilgrave turned back to Hogarth. “I bet she hasn't told you that she moved in with me three days ago. Hmm? Cohabitation. Under her own free will. It was going great, then she just snapped. Jessica has lied to both of us. What do you really know about her? Really?”

“More than I know about you.”

“You know her version of events. No one's even heard mine. As a lawyer, you must know that the reality lies somewhere in the middle. You are clearly a smart woman. You know that if I did have abilities, they wouldn't be inherently bad. Just imagine what someone like that could do. His powers of persuasion could right any wrong. Make any stubborn problem disappear.”

She begins walking. It looks like she's headed for the door, but she instead turns on the camera. “Please repeat that for the camera.”

Hogarth paces. Kilgrave copies her movements. Natasha and Peter watch and wait quietly. A door opens and they all lookup.

“Finally!” both Kilgrave and Hogarth exclaim.

“What's wrong? Jessica asks. “Did he do something? Say something?”

“Nothing that I listened to,” Hogarth replied. “Visiting hours at the prison are over. I needed to talk to Hope.”

“Sorry.”

“No, you're not. Where's your cop?”

“He needs evidence of Kilgrave's power. I'd appreciate you manning the shock switch.”

“What, you're going in there?”

“Yeah, I know how to piss him off. When he takes control, the electricity will stop me as quickly as Kilgrave. But only hit the switch if he makes me hurt myself.”

“What if he kills you?”

“Well, then we'll have proof, won't we?”

“Wait, for the record...” She turns the camera to Jessica. “You are?”

“I, Jessica Jones, of sound mind and body, submit the following footage into evidence.”

Hogarth turns the camera back to the room. Jessica goes through the first door to the room. Hogarth turns on the speakers. Jessica opens the second door and enters the room. She's holding a bag.

“My feet are pruning,” Kilgrave says. “What's that?”

“Food.” She tosses the bag onto the bed.

“Smells fast.”

“You're welcome.”

“Are you not afraid that I'll touch you?”

“No. Afraid I'll touch you? I remember how you like to be touched.” She begins touching his chest.

“It's bad enough you shock me, you have to toy with my emotions?”

“You can have it. But I want you to beg for it.” She slaps him.

“You will not...” he stops himself. “If that was foreplay, I'm all in.”

“Then do something about it.” She throws him back against the wall. Hogarth is visibly uncomfortable and looks at the other two. Peter’s staring at his phone and Natasha’s watching with the straight face of a spy.

“Unless you can't compel yourself to get it up.” Jessica continues.

“After that performance, you have my full attention.”

“Oh, you mean that Slim Jim in your pants? You're pathetic. You disgust me. All that power and you're too afraid to use it. Scared like a little momma's boy. Come on, Kevin. Be a big boy for mummy and daddy.”

“I don't know what you mean, you have all the power here.”

She throws him across the room.

“Jesus.” Hogarth cringes.

“Make me stop.” Jessica snaps.

“I won't hit a woman.”

“No, but you'd rape her. Destroy her mind, make her a murderer. Say the words!”

“Jessica, enough,” Natasha says into the microphone.

“I loved you,” Kilgrave says. “I gave you whatever you wanted.”

“All you ever gave me was shame.” She hits him. “And remorse.” She hits him again. “And pain.” She hits him again.

“Stop, I'm gonna hit the switch.” Hogarth threatens. Someone pulls Hogarth's hand away from the switch, however. “She is going to kill him.”

“No, she won't,” Trish replies. “She's holding back.”

“Come on, you cowardly piece of shit! You don't have the balls to fight me?”

“This isn't you, Jess. We were happy. Whatever you think I did to hurt you, I'm sorry.” She throws him against a wall. He begins bleeding from his mouth. He looks outside at women and Peter.

“What's the matter with you people? You're just gonna let this happen?”

“He is powerless,” Hogarth says.

“He's playing us,” Trish replies.

“I will not be party to any of this.” She begins to leave.

“Please! Somebody help me!” Jessica kicks him across the room. “Feels good, doesn't it? Being in control.”

She hits him, splattering blood across the glass. She raises her hand to punch him again, but Trish electrocutes them.

Jessica, Trish and Natasha watch the video outside. Kilgrave lies in bed.

“He didn't have to tell me to do a goddamn thing and he had all the control.” Jessica curses.

“Gotta admire his commitment,” Trish replies.

“Look at that,” Jessica says. “Even I feel sorry for him. I just helped his case. I'm such an idiot.”

Jessica begins playing the video of the young Kilgrave again. Kilgrave rolls onto his side and cradles his head.

“What if you and I walked out of here right now? Locked the door and never came back? Just left him. Hope could take the deal. I have enough money to get us far away.”

“Trish...”

“I mean it. As long as he has your attention, as long as you care, he's in control.”

“I won't let Hope lose twenty years of her life.”

“Why is she your responsibility?”

“That's not you. That's your boyfriend.”

“He's not my boyfriend. But can you blame him? Kilgrave murdered Simpson's buddies. He almost died.”

“Wait, what?”

“There was a bomb. An explosion. Simpson's in the hospital.”

** The video keeps playing.  _ “Be a big boy for mummy and daddy.” _ **

_ _

“He'll be all right. He's too stubborn to die.” Natasha says.

“There'll be an investigation. Maybe a link to prove Kilgrave's guilt.” Trish replies.

“He doesn't leave fingerprints, ever. He spent his whole life avoiding cameras, except that one.” Jessica gestures to the video playing.

“And I thought my mother was bad,” Trish says. “Who does that to their own child?”

“No one gets under a person's skin like their parents. That could push him to the breaking point.”

“If they're still alive.”

“He thinks so. He looked for them for a long time.”

“Should've hired a P.I.” Trish looks knowingly at Jessica, who looks back at her with some form of emotion in her eyes. Peter looks at his phone.

** Peter: Who R U With???? **

** **

** MJ: alone >:( **

** **

** Peter: R U Ok? **

** **

** MJ: Yeah, I guess **

** **

** Peter: Good **

** **

** MJ: >:( >:( >:( >:(  **

** **

** Peter: :/ **


	39. Sin Bin (part 3)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> TW: Mention of rape, forced self-harm

Jessica went outside to make a phone call to Manchester's Neuroscience Department, where Kilgrave’s parents worked. The spokesperson gave Jessica the names of his parents and said not to call again.

The women print out pictures of Kilgrave's parents. Trish hands a picture of Kilgrave’s mother, Louise, to Jessica.

“Still think she looks familiar?” she asks. Peter looks over her shoulder for a better look.

“It's impossible, right?” Jessica asks.

“I've stopped using that word around you,” Trish replies.

“I think I’ve seen her before, actually.” Peter muses. “At the survivor’s meetings.”

Jessica's phone rings and she answers it. “Collect call from North Eastern Correctional Facility.” The woman on the other end greeted.

“Yes, I'll accept. Hope?”

“I'm taking the deal.”

“Hope, listen.”

“I'm tired, Jessica. I just want this to be over.”

“It won't be as long as Kilgrave is out there.”

“At least I'll have a life. In twenty years I could finish my degree. I don't wanna die in here. I've made my decision. I just thought that you should know-.”

“I've got him, Hope.”

“What?”

“Kilgrave is my prisoner.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean I pumped him full of drugs and I dumped him in a cage. We are so close to having the proof we need for reasonable doubt. Hope, do not let him off the hook for what he did to you. To us.”

“Okay.”

“Thank you.” She hangs up. Trish looks at her. “Don't give me that look. I'm getting her out of there.” She steps on one of the pictures. “Shit.” She picks it up and examines it. Her shoe has left a mark on Louise's face.

“What? Jess?”

* * *

Jessica and Peter enter the restaurant where the meeting is being held.

“You're late.” Malcolm greets.

“Where's the rest of them?” Jessica asks.

“I couldn't reach everyone.” Malcolm replies. “You didn't give me much notice. I haven't heard from you in days and I thought you were in jail.”

“Clearly I'm not.”

“And what, you couldn't be bothered to tell me? I crossed a big line to save you from yourself. Do you even know what I did for you?”

“I didn't ask you to.”

“No. No, you do not get to play that card. Not anymore.” They walk over to the table where everyone else is. “See this? You're a part of this. Just take a look around. You said that you needed to talk. They're all here to support you. Just let that sink in. Hey, all right. Let's start. Well, speak at will. No one's controlling this.”

Everyone looks at Jessica. “I think I just need to listen for a while. I need to clear my head. Everywhere I look, all I see is Kilgrave.”

“I guess I'll start.” The man who lost his jacket to Kilgrave says.

“Thank you.” Malcolm replies.

“Um, I was thinking the other day about accountability. Because when Kilgrave was in control, I wasn't accountable for what I did. Even though at the time, I really wanted to do it.” A woman - Peter recognises her as Louise, from the photos - walks in. “So, how do I take responsibility for anything if I don't, you know-.”

“Dude, you lost a jacket.” Jessica cut in. “Move on.”

“Jessica...” Malcolm warns.

“Harsh,” Peter comments softly.

“Let's let someone else share.” Jessica continues regardless. “How about you?” She gestures at Louise and everyone turns to her.

“Betty just listens, like you, and that's okay.” Malcolm replies.

“I wanna hear Betty's story,” Jessica says. “When did you meet Kilgrave? A long time ago? Would you say that you know him intimately? Have you seen him naked?”

“No, Jessica.” Malcolm sighed.

“Wait for it, it'll be good.” She tells him.

“No, this is a victim support group.”

“Not everyone here is a victim.”

“Sorry, I've got to go.” Louise stands and leaves. Jessica follows her, Peter on her heels.

“Where are you going?” Malcolm asks. “Hey! Leave that poor woman alone.”

“That poor woman is Kilgrave's mother.” Jessica snapped. She continues to follow Louise out. After a moment, Malcolm does too.

“Hey, hey, hey. I wanna help.”

“Too bad.”

“No, I need to help. I can't sleep at night. Every single time I close my eyes, I just see Ruben's face.”

“That is why I'm not getting you involved. You let this stuff get to you.”

“This stuff? I scrubbed blood off your floorboards, all right? I dumped a man's body in a river. What about Peter? Michelle? How are they handling this? They saw Ruben too!”

“And you wanna spend more time with us?” Jessica countered. “Go back to that group. Help those people. That's your superpower.”

Jessica runs away. Peter lingered to give Malcolm a small smile. “Jessica’s just trying to protect you, to protect us. To avenge Hope’s parents, and take revenge against her… well her rapist.”

Malcolm intakes this information as Peter goes to follow Jessica.

* * *

Albert, the father, and Louise are packing up. Peter can hear it through the walls.

“Only a matter of time before he found us. We never should've stopped moving.” Albert says.

“I'm sorry, Albert. You were right.” Louise replies. They finish packing up.

Albert opens the door to find Jessica waiting outside. “Hi, dad.” She greets. He closes the door. Jessica kicks it open. “I see where your son gets his bad manners. Now you are coming with me to stop him.”

“Stop him?” Louise asks. “Kevin didn't send you?”

“No, but I bet he'll be glad to see you. You may have named him Kevin but you made him Kilgrave.”

“We didn't know what he'd become,” Albert yells.

“Bullshit! I've seen the videos, the tests. You tried to play God.” Jessica retorts.

“We tried to save him.” Louise counters. “Kevin was born with a degenerative neural disease. He'd have been brain-dead before he reached twelve. His only hope was an experimental study using a virus to repair his damaged DNA.”

“So you infected him? Wow. I wish I had a mother of the year award so I could bludgeon you with it.”

“We loved our son! We wanted a cure, and we found one. We didn't know about the side effects until-.”

“Until things got bad and you jumped ship.”

“No, we stayed and lived with it.” Albert denies. “We carried out his every childish demand for years.”

“He was throwing a tantrum,” Louise neologises, raising a hand to the burn scar on the side of her face. “But I was busy ironing, and... I never should have yelled at him, but...”

“We were living in fear, so we ran.” Albert finishes. “We've been running ever since.”

“Well, you could have told someone! Or done something. Yours aren't the only lives that little Kevin has destroyed.”

“We know. We heard about that poor girl who killed her parents.” Louise says.

“I knew it was Kevin. Louise insisted we make sure, so we came. Louise joined that ghoulish group to torture herself.”

“I hoped I could help.” She stares at Peter sadly, he backs into the wall defensively.

“A lot of good it's done.”

“Well, here's your chance to help that girl.” Jessica snaps. “I am taking you to your son.”’

“We've only stayed alive this long by keeping our distance!” Albert cried.

“If your parenting didn't make him a sociopath, the lack of it did. Either way, irresponsible.” Jessica scolded.

“I'm going with her, Albert,” Louise says warily.

He looks at her incredulously, but give in. “You're not going alone.”


	40. Sin Bin (part 4)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So I missed a scene where Jessica and Trish figure out where Kilgrave's parents work oop-  
TW: murder/suicide, forced self harm

“We're about to get our proof,” Jessica says, striding into the room.

“For Hope's sake, you better be right. DA said she turned down the plea. She'll seek two life terms now.” Hogarth replied, apparently she’d come back since Jessica and Peter left. Natasha and Trish were… somewhere.

“She'll lose,” Jessica replies. “Come on in!” Jessica turns on the camera as Louise and Albert enter, Peter behind them. He made sure they (Albert) didn’t turn and run unsupervised.

“Are they the mad scientists?” Hogarth asks.

“All the tests they did on him were to save his life,” Jessica explains. “He tortured them. Everything Kilgrave said was a lie.” Said man looks at his parents in disbelief. “If things go bad, I hit this switch. Everyone goes down and we pull you out. You won't feel a thing.”

“What if you're not fast enough?” Albert asks.

“Don't worry, I'm fast enough,” Jessica says.

“It's not worth the risk.” Hogarth cuts in. “We need to find another way.”

“We're going in, Albert,” Louise says to her husband. “He's our responsibility.”

Detective Clemons, from Jessica’s arrest attempt, walks in and cocks his gun. “Hands above your head.” He snaps.

“I see you got my evidence,” Jessica says, not bothered with the gun to her face.

“Oh, yeah.” The detective sneers. “You convinced me you are one sick lady. Now open that cell.”

“Sure thing. One sec. Now!”

Trish and Natasha come out of their hiding places and hold their respective guns to Clemons. He lowers his gun with a scowl.

“Are you insane?” Hogarth snaps. “You know, why don't you just cuff me right now, because I'm about to call nine-one-one.”

Jessica kicks Clemons's gun away and handcuffs him to a pipe. “Well, then I will make sure to tell them that you're an accomplice to kidnapping. Keep your eyes on that man in that cell. Your testimony is gonna put him away. Now, let's give him something to witness. Come on.”

Kilgrave looks distressed as Jessica leads his parents into the sealed room. Hogarth puts her hand over her mouth. Jessica closes the door behind Louise and Albert.

“Hello, Kevin,” Louise says softly.

“Mum.” Kilgrave greets back stoically. “Dad.”

“Have they been giving you enough to eat?” Louise asks.

Kilgrave starts laughing, slightly unhinged. “You might as well ask me who fed me when I was ten, or fourteen, or twenty-five. You never cared then.”

“Kevin, sweetheart...”

“I used to wonder if you thought about me growing up.” Kilgrave muses. “Begging for scraps like a dog. Or if you worried about when I got sick. Or when I was scared. I was all alone, mum. I had to make people feed me, and shelter me, and care for me. That's how I learned to survive.”

“Bollocks, Kevin.” Albert snapped. “You always knew how to give orders. Telling us when to eat, when to sleep, when to piss.”

“No, Albert.” Louise scolded.

“Oh, dad. I've changed.” Kilgrave says. “Jessica taught me to help people. I saved children. I wondered if that would make you proud of me.”

“Of course we're proud of you, Kevin,” Louise says. “We love you.”

“Then why did you leave?” Kilgrave asks.

“Your mother nearly died after what you did to her!” Albert cried.

“I was ten!” Kilgrave snapped back. “I had a tantrum, like a normal child! I didn't know what I was doing! You didn't explain to me, you just left!”

“We made a mistake,” Louise replies. “I promise, I will never leave you again.”

“Louise, remember what he did!” Albert growls.

“He's our son, Albert,” Louise replies. She begins to wrap her hands around Kilgrave. He recoils a bit. But after a few moments, he relaxes into the hug.

“I'm sorry I hurt you, mum.” Kilgrave whispers.

“Release me now, and I'll overlook the assault.” Clemons snaps. “We'll call it... resisting arrest.”

“It's not over yet,” Natasha warns.

“I'm sorry Kevin.” Louise cries. “I am so sorry. I'm so sorry.”

She reaches into her pocket and pulls out a pair of scissors, stabbing him in the arm.

“Get them out, now!” the detective yells.

“Not yet.” Jessica hisses.

The bloody scissors fall to the floor. Kilgrave angrily looks up at his mother.

“You're our responsibility.” She reasons. “We have got to stop you.”

“Mum, I understand.” He replies. “Pick up the scissors.”

“No.” Albert murmurs.

“Stay there, dad. Take note.”

Louise picks up the scissors.

“Okay. She did it.” Jessica says.

“She did what?” Clemons asks.

“It's on tape.” Jessica reasons.

“He didn't see it, it's not enough,” Trish tells her.

“This won't work. Pull them out now.” Hogarth says.

“Mum,” Kilgrave addressed. “For every year that you left me alone, stab yourself.”

Louise moves the scissors towards herself, fear in her eyes. Clemons puts his hand over his mouth in shock.

“Got him.” Jessica sneers.

Jessica presses the shock button. Nothing happens. Louise begins stabbing herself.

“Everybody out! Run!” Jessica cries.

“Go, go! Run!” Trish yells.

“Get me out of these!” the detective snaps.

Hogarth picks up Clemons's gun and runs outside. Trish tries to unlock the cuffs on Clemons. After a minute Natasha goes to assist.

“Jess, the keys!” Trish yells. “I need the-.”

Louise whimpers as she continues stabbing herself. She falls to the floor, bleeding. Jessica hurriedly tries to get into the room, Peter helping her pry the door open.

“Please, please!” Albert cries.

“Don't just stand there, dad,” Kilgrave says, emotionlessly. “Pick up the scissors.”

Jessica and Peter get through the first door. Albert picks up the scissors.

“No, not him too.” Trish moans. Trish fires her gun into the room. The glass shatters.

“Get me out of here!” the detective snaps at Natasha.

“Shut up.” She hissed.

Trish shoots Kilgrave in the arm. Jessica and Peter get the second door open.

“Cut your heart out, dad!” Kilgrave yells.

Peter tries to wrangle the scissors away from Albert as Jessica goes to follow Kilgrave (who takes the opportunity to run) but rounds back to help Peter.

“Put a bullet in your skull, Patsy.” Kilgrave sneers at the blonde as he gets past. Trish puts the gun to her chin and pulls the trigger. The gun clicks but doesn't fire. “Come with me, detective, Widow.” Clemons breaks his hand to get out of the cuffs and (along with Natasha) follows Kilgrave.

Jessica knocks out Albert then runs to catch up to Kilgrave. She grabs onto him.

“Let go of me, Jessica!” Kilgrave yells. Nothing happens. Jessica keeps her hands on him. “Get her off me!” Clemons and Natasha pull her off of him.

Kilgrave keeps running. After a few moments of struggling, Jessica kicks Clemons, knocking him out and Peter struggles with Natasha, merely holding her back from getting to Jessica, his arms tightening around her neck.

Jessica runs outside, but Kilgrave is nowhere to be found. She hesitates a moment, then smirks, deaf to all sound around her.

“Jess.” Peter heaved. “Jess, it _hurts_.” She turned to look at him, surprised.

Natasha was out cold, passed out it seemed, in the hallway. Red scratches from Natasha’s nails were clearly visible across Peter’s arms and face. She’s gotten a good claw across the side of his face and it was bleeding ever lightly. Jessica’s attention was instead drawn to the blood seeping through Peter’s shirt.

“Oh, _fuck_.”


	41. 1'000 Cuts (part 1)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> TW: murder, pyromaniac, child endangerment, graphic violence

[Peter's entire decathlon team, especially Flash](https://giphy.com/gifs/foxhomeent-3oz8xZvvOZRmKay4xy)

“Fuck, fuck, FUCK!”

Peter coughed, a mixed string of blood and saliva leaking down his chin as he slumped against the hallway wall. Jessica swore loudly as she literally tore the blood-soaked shirt from Peter’s body, discarding the part already soaked in blood and ties the rest around the wound.

“Shit just-.” Jessica cursed again as soft wailing from Trish echoed into the hall. “Don’t die.” She jumped up to tend to Trish.

Clemons awoke wearily soon after. He looked at Peter, shocked, then, knowing he couldn’t do much to help, went to Jessica whilst cradling his broken hand.

“I’ll call an ambulance.” Trish says, officially unaffected by Kilgrave command to ‘put a bullet in her head’.

“No, don’t.” Both detective and PI replies simultaneously.

“Kilgrave's not far. You call it in, he gets further away, and then we're stuck sitting in questioning.” Jessica explains, which, yeah, fair enough, but Peter was currently bleeding out.

“She's right.” Clemons agrees. “I'll secure the scene, get some guys in who won't muck up the evidence.”

“Someone cut the fail-safe wire.” Jessica’s voice says groundedly.

“Oh, God.” Albert’s voice suddenly perked up. “Oh, no! Oh, my poor Louise. What did he do to you? My heart.”

“No!” Jessica yelled, Peter flinched at the sound.

“I have to cut out my heart!” Albert yelled as Peter tugged his phone out of his pocket.

“No.” Jessica’s voice snapped as Peter unlocked his phone.

“Tape!” Clemons yelled as Peter typed into the contact.

“You're not cutting anything!” Jessica yelled.

**3:27 pm Peter: pbs nt gona c u ntm sn mj crny bldn ut**

“Tape!” Clemons yelled again.

**3:27 pm Flash: Yo what the fuck does this say??**

“Bind him!” Jessica snapped.

**3:28 pm Ned: “Probs not gonna see you anytime soon MJ, currently bleeding out”**

**3:28 pm Ned: I think he meant to send this to Michelle, not the group…**

“I have to die.” Albert cries.

**3:28 pm Flash: ???**

**3:28 pm Abe: wtf**

**3:28 pm Charles: wtf**

**3:28 pm Liz <3: Please tell me “bleeding out” is an inside joke**

“Later,” Jessica says. “Right now, I'm gonna find your psychotic son.”

**3:29 pm Charles: Ayyy Abe**

**3:29 pm Peter: [video attachment]**

**{The video showcases Peter with blood dribbling blood down his chin and shakily aiming the phone camera at himself, then down to his bleeding abdomen. The four adults yelling in the background.**

_ **“Tape!” ** _ **a masculine voice.**

_ **“Bind him!” ** _ **a feminine voice.**

_ **“I have to die!” ** _ **an old man voice.**

_ **“Later. Right now, I’m gonna find your psychotic son.” ** _ **The feminine, again.**

**The camera raises to Peter’s face again and gives a clear shot of the scratch marks on his face and the blood slowly coming to surface next to his eye, which is closed.**

_ **“Jess, wait!” ** _ **A new feminine voice yells in the background. ** _ **“You’ll lose! I’ve seen how powerful he is now. A couple words and you’re his weapon.”** _

_ **“He can’t control me anymore.”** _ ** The first girl, ** _ **Jess** _ **, replies. Peter’s head lolls to the side, keeping the blood from his face injury from getting into his eye.**

_ **“It’s time to get realistic.” ** _ **The second voice pleads.**

_ **“I fugin’ can’t-.” ** _ **Peter coughed, more blood spilling down his chin.** _ ** “Auuuggh, it h’rts… I’ll g’t to a nurs’ or somthin’.”** _ ** He says at the same time as the ** _ **Jess** _ ** says;**

_ **“No, Trish, he said ‘let go’ and I didn’t. I’m free.”** _

**And the video cuts off. }**

**2:35 pm Flash: WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK IS HAPPENING????**

**2:35 pm Liz <3: Peter, go to a hospital, please.**

**2:35 pm Cindy: Good god..**

**2:36 pm Sally: Liz is right, go to the hospital Peter**

**2:36 pm Charles: oh, he’s typing!**

**2:37 pm Peter: cnt bsns**

**2:37 pm Flash: Literally - what?**

**2:37 pm Ned: “Can’t. Business.”**

**2:38 pm Ned: I think you’ll get sent to the hospital, not get stuck in questioning**

**2:38 pm Liz <3: I honestly don’t even want to know, just go to a hospital…**

**2:38 pm Cindy: Great! He’s not responding**

**2:38 pm Sally: Ned, wtf is going on?**

**2:39 pm Ned: I don’t know!**

**2:39 pm Ned: WHERE THE FUCK IS MICHELLE?!**

**2:39 pm Sally: No one knows…**

**2:39 pm Cindy: I love how Ned understands Peter’s god awful spelling tho**

**2:40 pm Charles: ???**

**2:40 pm Abe: You mean Peter’s half conscious typing as he BLEEDS OUT?!**

**2:40 pm Cindy: Yea**

**2:40 pm Liz <3: JFC**

**3:57 pm Peter: [video attachment]**

**{It starts with a man walking past Peter in the hallway he’s slumped in, apparently, Peter isn’t unconscious yet. The man ignores him and walks up to a detective already in the room. By order of elimination, he was the man yelling “tape!” earlier.**

**The man, also licensed to a gun it seemed, aimed it at him and the detective recoiled in shock. The officer (?) laughed and lowered the firearm. ** _ **“Man... you scared the hell out of me.” ** _ **He says.**

_ **“Who are you?”** _ ** the first guy asks.**

_ **“I'm Sergeant Simpson.” ** _ **The ** _ **sergeant** _ **, not ** _ **officer** _ **, replies.** _ ** “Uh, you've seen me at the precinct. You're Detective Clemons, right? Yeah, you’re kind of a legend. You got a hell of a clearance rate.”** _

_ **“Sorry, Sarge,” ** _ **Clemons says. ** _ **“Out of context. Out of uniform.”** _

_ **“Uh-huh. What brings you here?”** _ ** Simpson points to Clemons' bandaged hand ** _ **“That looks serious, huh? What happened?”** _

_**“A bit of an altercation,”**_** Clemons replies. **_**“How'd you say you got here?”**_

_**“Uh, Trish Walker called me, from here, so I came as soon as I could,”**_** Simpson replied.**

_**“Well, this floor is on lockdown. I got it under control.”**_

_**“Well, it looks like you could use a hand. I mean...”**_** He chuckles as he points to the injured hand. **_**“Sorry, I didn't mean it like that.”**_

** Simpson limps and gasps as he approaches the hermetic room.**

_**“What's wrong with your leg, Officer?”**_** Clemons asks.**

** Simpson, seeing something, a body. _“Jesus. Who's this?”_**

_**“Victim of a killer who has abilities,”**_** Clemons replies. **_**“We got all the evidence we need now to put that bastard away. I'm gonna call for back-up, get me and the kid a medic, while you check the perimeter outside.”**_

_ **“But if this killer has abilities like you say... well, maybe the system won't be able to contain him.”** _ ** Simpson muses.**

_ ** “That's not your call, Sarge.”** _

_ **“Well, the guy isn't a purse snatcher, Detective. He's a terrorist. Kilgrave can't be put on trial. Evidence is irrelevant.”** _

_ ** “You know who he is.”** _

_ ** “Yeah, so do you, obviously. So you know that we can't wait for the system. There's no jail. There's no evidence. There's only justice.”** _ ** Clemons takes out his cell phone, Simpson points the gun at him. ** _ **“Uh-uh. I have no other option. I'm taking him out.”** _

** _ “Well, he's gone. Jessica's looking for him now.”_ **

** _ “And where's Trish Walker? Did he hurt her? Did he do something to her?”_ **

** _ “She's with someone. A scientist who thinks that he can stop Kilgrave with a vaccine.”_ **

**_ “Where are they? I'm sorry.”_ He puts down the gun. _“It's ever since Kilgrave, I don't know who to trust.”_ He offers Clemons his gun. _“I don't need a weapon to make a vaccine.”_ Clemons gives a refusing gesture. ** _ **“Trish Walker, she trusts me. She's the one who called me. So please, just tell me where she is.”** _

** _ “A hotel in Washington. Across from Barbuto.”_ **

**Simpson shoots Clemons in the head, a sharp gasp is heard from Peter in the background. Simpson then opens a cabinet, finds a gallon of something flammable and pours it on Clemons' body. He sets it on fire, and walks away from the flames, leaving Peter behind.**

**Peter swears behind the camera and it points to the ground, showing Peter’s feet as he slowly stands, leaning against the wall. He slowly leaves the hallway. The video ends.}**

**4:10 pm Flash: HOLY SHIT**

**4:10 pm Liz <3: OMG PETER**

**4:10 pm Ned: PETER GO TO THE FUCKING HOSPITAL**

**4:10 pm Cindy: OR THE GODDAMN POLICE**

**4:11 pm Sally: Peter??**

**4:11 pm Charles: GREAT, HE’S NOT RESPONDING**

**4:11 pm Charles: AGAIN**

**4:11 pm Abe: IS NO ONE TALKING ABOUT THAT SARGEANT THAT SHOT THE OFFICER, THEN LEFT PETER TO DIE?!**

**4:12 pm Liz <3: I just threw up…**

**4:12 pm Cindy: Same**

**4:12 pm Cindy: My parents are reporting the video to the police**

**4:27 pm Abe: okay, so apparently both of those officers are from Hell’s Kitchen????**

**4:27 pm Abe: wtf is Peter doing in Hell’s Kitchen??**

**4:27 pm Flash: I think the better question is why the fuck Parker was shot**

**4:29 pm Flash: guys???**

**4:34 pm Flash: ?????**


	42. 1'000 Cuts (part 2)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The aftermath

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the ---> (Name here) means that the text messages come from the point of view of whoever's name. that's why the contact names change between Rosa and Trish

**Chat: Women are Powerful ---> Rosa Diaz**

**3:32 pm Sobrina: [video attachment]**

**3:32 pm Sobrina: [video attachment]**

**3:32 pm Sobrina: HELP???**

**3:39 pm Rosa: We tracked the location from Peter’s phone**

**3:39 pm Mi Amour: We’re on our way**

“Hurry up, Terry.” Rosa cursed, ushering her sergeant.

“I’m driving as fast as legal!” He replied.

“We’re the cops!” Amy yelled. “The lights are on! Fucking hurry up!”

**3:43 pm Jess: Shit**

**3:43 pm Natalia: I’m headed back to Trish n the hotel now**

“Peter!” Rosa called. The others were all yelling loudly.

“R’sa.” A quiet grunt got her attention. The other side of the smoke covered room was Peter, laying half-conscious in the space between two buildings. “I’ h’rts.”

“We’re here, pequeño araña.” She shushes, running over to cradle him. “We’re here.”

**3:46 pm Patricia: Thanks, Albert and I are making some progress.**

**\--**

**3:54 pm Rosa: We found Peter, going to Metro General**

**3:57 pm Natalia: Thank you <3**

**3:57 pm Rosa: <3**

“The shot wound isn’t fatal, thank god, but he may need to be in the hospital for a while,” Amy says, settling into a waiting chair beside Rosa. The Latina doesn’t reply. Amy holds Rosa’s hand and pressed a kiss to the back of the palm. “He’ll be fine.”

**4:03 pm Mi Amour: Terry here. Peter’s in stable condition, slight smoke inhalation and a bullet wound in the side but he should pull through. Most likely going to need PTSD therapy according to the video he sent his friends**

**4:04 pm Natalia: His friends?**

**4:05 pm Mi Amour: It seems he accidentally texted his decathlon group**

**4:05 pm Mi Amour: They’ve reported the videos to the police**

**4:06 pm Natalia: Who shot him?**

**4:06 pm Mi Amour: 9mm bullet was pulled out. Cops use 9mm so maybe the cop that lit the place up?**

**4:06 pm Natalia: …**

Someone knocks on the door. “Who is it?”

“It's me.” The person replied. “Trish?”

She opens the door “What are you doing here?” He steps in and closes the door behind him. “How are you even standing? You were in the hospital.”

“No, I'm okay,” Simpson replies. “Kozlov's a great doctor.”

“Your pupils are dilated.”

“Yeah, that's because I'm on meds. Well, I did almost die, after all.”

“What kind of meds?”

“It doesn't matter. And, you know, I feel much better than I look.” He sighs “Trish, if you're making a vaccine, then I wanna help. Detective Clemons told me.” Trish tilted her head and gave him a disbelieving look as Simpson turned to Albert. “What happened to you? You the scientist? I'm Simpson.” He turned back to Trish. “Why is he restrained?”

“Kilgrave told him to cut out his heart.”

“You think you can make a vaccine?”

“It turns out Kilgrave is a virus.”

“Quite literally,” Albert says. “That's how he controls people.”

“He's British,” Simpson says. Trish stutters. “Why is a foreign scientist holed up in a dump like this?”

“Simpson, stop it.” Trish snaps.

“What makes you so sure that you can make this vaccine? You know something special about Kilgrave?”

“Don't answer that.”

“He's my son,” Albert replies, despite Trish’s say so.

Simpson grabs Albert puts him lying on a couch and grabs his throat

“No! Don't hurt him.”

“You made him,” Simpson growls. Trish tries releasing Albert from Simpson, he slaps her and Trish hits her head against the window. Hearing her grunt, he goes after Trish. “Oh, God, I'm so, so sorry.”

“I know what you’ve done, Simpson.” She growls.

“I didn't mean to.”

“They've messed you up. You're messed up in the head!” She starts pushing him away. “Get out!”

“No! No, it won't happen again.” Simpson pleaded.

“It won't happen again because you're leaving. Go!”

Trish pushes Simpson out the door. After she locks it, she stares at the vial of pills she grabbed from Simpson.

**Chat: Women are Powerful ---> Trish Walker**

**4:43 pm Trish: Simpson was here! He’s jacked up on pills or smthn**

**4:43 pm Trish: He’s not acting right.**

**\--**

**4:47 pm Natasha: We’ll be on the lookout, thank you.**

**\--**

**7:58 pm Jess: Is anyone with Michelle??**

**7:58 pm Michelle: Yes mom..**

**7:58 pm Natasha: Rosa and Amy are with her. I’m at the hospital with Peter. Terry went home to Sharon and his twins.**

**7:59 pm Jess: How’s Peter?**

**7:59 pm Natasha: Stable…**

**8:00 pm Jess: ?**

Peter blinked groggily and stared uneasily at the white roof of the hospital room. How did he get here? There was a warm body leaning against the bed. With the slight tilt of his head, he saw Natasha sleeping hunched over the edge awkwardly.

By the look of the hospital clock in the corner, it was 7:30 in the morning.

He found his phone in Natasha’s bag and looked through the messages of the day before.

**Decathlon Chat ---> Peter Parker**

**7:31 am Peter: Hey Guys, Just Wanna Let You Know I’m Fine. Dunno What’s Happening With Those Officers Tho**

**7:31 am Ned: PETER YOU’RE ALIVE**

**7:31 am Charles: JESUS MAN WE THOUGH U DIED**

**7:31 am Liz <3: Peter, please be okay…**

**7:34 am Peter: [image attachment]**

**{image shows Peter in a hospital bed, dressed in a hospital gown. He gave the camera a peace sign and stuck his tongue out, winking his injured eye at the camera. Said eye had a cotton ball taped to the scratch mark}**

**7:34 am Flash: Jesus man..**

**7:34 am Peter: [peace fingers emoji]**

**7:34 am Cindy: Leave it to Peter to be casual about getting shot**

**7:35 am Abe: Pete why the fuck were you in Hell’s Kitchen???**

**7:35 am Peter: Oh. Uh.. Family Stuff…**

**7:35 am Liz <3: Is that why you’ve been missing for a couple of weeks?**

**7:35 am Peter: Yea**

**7:36 am Flash: I heard the name Trish Walker… As in Trish Talks???**

**7:36 am Peter: Yeah, She’s My Honorary Aunt..**

**7:36 am Flash: “honorary”**

**7:36 am Peter: [middle finger emoji]**

**7:37 am Ned: Have you heard about that officer? Simpson?**

**7:37 am Peter: I’m trying not to know about him…**

**7:37 am Sally: That might be for the best…**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Translate:  
Sobrina - niece  
Mi Amour - my love


	43. (Halloween Special) Midnight Man (part 1)

Nothing good would ever come by placing a group of destructively intelligent teenagers into a cabin together for Halloween. Yet, somehow, their respective guardians had decided that, if they weren’t going out Trick-or-Treating, the older kids could watch scary movies and tell Urban stories without traumatising the younger kids a safe distance away. In the woods.

Isn’t that where most horror shit happens anyways? They were ASKING to get a bad trick that night.

Harley Keener, Riri Williams, Wanda and Pietro Maximoff, Peter Parker, Miles Morales, Gwen Stacy, Kamala Khan, Michelle Jones, Ned Leeds, Shuri no-last-name-given, Ava Ayala, Sam Alexander and Felicia Hardy. In the same place. Playing horror games. 

The cabin was bound to burn down by the end of the night.

“I’ll go first,” Shuri says. “Pietro, truth or dare?”

“Dare.” The speed-star replies.

“You have to ask one of us for permission to go to the bathroom for the rest of the night.”

“Aight. Though it’d be worse honestly.” Shuri shrugs in response. “Alriiiight…. Stacy-girl. Truth or dare?”

“Dare,” Gwen replied.

“I dare you… to… okay. Everything you say must be sung to the tune of Happy Birthday for the next fifteen minutes.”

In the tune of happy birthday, she replied; “I hate you, I hate you, I hate you, dear Pietro, I fucking hate you.”

“Oh my god.” Miles snickered.

“Pete, time it,” Pietro called.

“Yeah.” The spiderling replied. “I am.”

“Truth or dare? Truth or dare? Truth or dare, dear Shuri? Truth or dare?”

“Dare.” The princess replied, laughing.

“I dare you- to go outside- and try to summon the rain- that’s my dare for you.” Gwen sang.

“That’s racist,” Shuri says. She goes outside and everyone else watches through the windows. “O, pluet placer. O, pluet placer. O, pluet placer, mater terrae. Adducere imbribus de caelo. O, pluet placere, mater terrae, mater terrae, mater terrae!”* Nothing happens. Shuri goes back inside.

“What was that sis?” the “middle kitten”, as she liked to call herself, asked.

“Latin.” The youngest replied.

“You know a Latin rain chant?” the eldest asked. 

Ava, Shuri and Felicia were all cat-themed and acted accordingly.

“Purely for that exact reason.” Shuri beamed as her self-proclaimed sisters chuckled at her.

“Ah.”

“Miles.” Shuri changes the subject. “Truth or dare?”

“Dare.” Spiderling jr replied. If the cats had familial-team names, so did the spiders.

“No one’s picked Truth.” Felicia mused.

“We’d rather humiliate ourselves now then tell a secret,” Peter replied.

“Truth.” Shuri snickered. “Wait…”

“I said dare.” Miles reminded her.

“Yeah, uh... Take an embarrassing selfie and post it as your profile picture.”

Miles sighed but did as instructed. “Okay, there.” He sowed the selfie. It was a close-up complete with crackhead eyes and too-large toothy smile and double-chin.

“Respect.” Shuri chuckles.

“Yeah, yeah. Wanda, truth or dare?”

“Dare.” The witch replied.

“Gwen doesn’t have to sing anymore.” Peter cut in.

“Oh, thank god.” She says.

“That wasn’t satisfying.” Pietro groaned. Gwen stuck her tongue out at him.

“Wanda, I dare you… to drink a smoothie of my own making.”

“Oh, god.” Miles snickers and jumps up to his feet to disappear into the kitchen. “Do I get to see what you put in it?” Wanda asks.

“No!”

Simple sleepover games are what they played for the first few hours.

“Guys!” Shuri beckons. “It's dark out.”

“Time for the Halloween games!” Peter beamed.

“[Black Cat Scratch](https://hideandgokill.fandom.com/wiki/Black_Cat_Scratch)!” Felicia offers up immediately.

“Sure,” Shuri says. “Who wants to lay down?”

“I’ll do it,” Kamala says. Shuri pats the floor in front of her and Kamala lays her head in Shuri’s lap. The other teens closed the gap in the circle. Shuri slowly drew circles on Kamala’s temples.

_“There once was an old lady who owned a cat.”_ Shuri starts. _“The cat was very nice. It meowed and purred. One day, the cat got hit by a car and died. Cat scratch, cat scratch, cat scratch. The old lady got a new cat. The cat was very mean. It hissed and clawed. Cat scratch, cat scratch, cat scratch. One day, the cat got hit by a car and died. The old lady decided not to get any more cats. Cat scratch, cat scratch, cat scratch.”_

“That story’s weird,” Miles says.

“Kam, stand.” Kamala did as told and Shuri pulls the back of her shirt up. Six red claw marks fell from Kamala’s shoulders to her hips. “It worked.”

“What?” Kamala asked. “I didn’t feel anything.”

“You’re not supposed too,” Peter replies. “I have the instructions on my phone.” He begins to read aloud._ “Step One; You sit down on the floor, your friend lies down on the floor with their head in your lap. Everyone else sits around in a circle. Step Two: You rub the person's temples in a soothing motion as you tell them scary stories about a cat. Step Three: The person will get up quickly and you pull up the back of their shirt. Red claw marks will appear on the person's back and they won't feel anything.”_

“Huh.” Kamala mused.

“Give me that,” Pietro says, stealing Peter’s phone. “_Hide and Go Kill Wiki._ Jesus, that’s edgy.” He scrolled around. “What’s the [Midnight Man](https://hideandgokill.fandom.com/wiki/The_Midnight_Man)?”

“It’s almost twelve,” Shuri says. “Do you want to play?”

“Sure.” Pietro hands Peter’s phone back.

“We need; paper and pencils, candles, a wooden front door, salt and a pin needle.”

Peter reads. Shuri jumps up to get the required items she prepared beforehand.

“What do we need a wooden door for?” Sam asked, noting that they did indeed have a wooden front door.

“I dunno.” Peter shrugged. “It just says so.”

Shuri places the paper on the floor and scribbles her name on it. She sets everything else down before pricking her finger on the pin and letting the blood drop onto her name. “Everyone needs to do this.” She says.

“We’re going to get AIDS,” Sam complained.

“Clean the pin.” Kamala supplied, scrawling her name onto the paper.

Everyone had their name and blood on the paper. They turned out the lights and lit their candles. They knocked on the door.

Knock, knock, knock.

Knock, knock, knock. 

Knock, knock, knock.

Knock, knock, knock. 

Knock, knock, knock.

Knock, knock, knock. 

Knock, knock, knock.

Knock. Right on twelve.

Peter opened the door. They blew out their candles. He closed the door. They re-lit the candles.

“The game has begun.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> * by elusivejam on The Witch’s Circle Amino as of Wednesday 30th October 2019 1:51 pm because names change on Amino a lot


	44. (Halloween Special) Midnight Man (part 2)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So. I didn't have internet yesterday, otherwise, this would've been up. Also. In Australia, I think it's like a day in front of America so it doesn't matter anyway??? Look. Idk. Here's the chapter.

Miles felt his skin prick up as he made his way around the cabin in the dark. He could see candlelight reflected in the glass of the backdoor from others in the house.

“Miles.” Someone whispered. “Hey.” He turned, and, under the candlelight, saw Gwen.

“Hey.” He replied weakly. Peter would totally chew his ass in about it. Where ever Peter even was. 

Gwen tugged Miles’ hoodie and he found himself tugged into the closet. It was large enough to do a full circle with a half-an arm’s length spread. Peter was standing at the back, his candle balanced on a shelf nearby.

“Spiders.” Peter addressed. “We have to stick together to survive. No doubt the Cats will try to undermine us.”

“What about Michelle?”

“She’s totally apart of their gang, she has such a crush on Shuri.” Peter shakes his head. “That’s not the point though. You ruined my brooding train of thought.”

“Oops.”

“Let’s just get through the night befor-.”

A loud scream cut through the silence and there was a clamour of hurried footsteps in the general direction.

“Kam?!” Someone screamed.

“He got Kamala,” Peter whispered. “Let’s keep moving, he’ll find us at this rate.”

And the Spiders left the closet.

Miles felt his heart stop every time he heard someone scream. Sam was found a little after Kamala, and he was travelling with Pietro so he was gone as well. Gwen and Miles strayed from their trio and the man had gotten to Peter, so there were two Spiders, one twin, three cats and their honorary member and whoever else.

Next to go was Riri, who went out with a burst of colourful phrases.

“Hey, Miles.” He looked over to Ned.

“Yeah?”

“Was Peter conspiring against us?”

Miles was about to question Ned’s thought process to that, though it did make sense since Ned wasn’t considered a part of the Spiders. A familiar scream cut through the air before Miles could reply though.

“Gwen!?” Miles screamed. His flame flickered out and Ned screamed as Miles fought to re-light his candle. “Ned!?” He lit his candle and whipped around to find either of them. All Miles saw was the orange glow of Wanda’s candle as she approached, fear etched into her features. 

She’d been like that since Pietro.

“Two more.” She whispers. “This was a horrible idea.” And then she left Miles alone in the room. He moved on quickly.

Miles swore he could hear giggling in the hallways as he walked forwards. He was numb now, to the screams that followed. Felicia, Wanda, Harley. Michelle and Shuri had been taken together.

The cat and the spider remained, it seemed. Ava Ayala and Miles Morales. White Tiger (her suit was white. Ava is actually Puerto Rican) and Kid Arachnid. Double-A and Double M. Double Trouble. Hah.

Miles saw Ava’s candlelight flicker out in the corner of his eye, and a black mass moves forward to attack her. His spider-sense was too late, and Ava’s screams melded away, seeming to resonate through the being.

“Ten more minutes, Miles.” The Spider whispered to himself. “Ten more minutes.” He kept moving as to not get caught and suffer the same fate of his friends. Of his family. His brothers and sisters.

3:31 am.

Miles felt the Midnight Man loom over him.

3:32 am.

His candle blew out. Miles closed his eyes.

3:33 am.

“Boo.”

Miles honest to god screamed and jumped back. He was met with the laughter of all his friends as the lights turned back on. “I- What? Who? Wha-?”

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry.” Peter laughed, hugging Miles as he stepped forward. “It was just a prank dude.”

“A… prank?” Miles asked slowly.

“You are the youngest, man,” Sam says.

Everyone was there… Well. Almost everyone. 

It was a prank.

It was just a prank…

It was _just_ a _prank_.

“Y-yeah, no, I knew that,” Miles says, attempting (and failing) to seem cool. The other kids laughed. Miles pulled Peter close and whispered in his ear. “I fucking hate you so goddamn much.”

“That was the point,” Peter whispered back.

It was dark, the kids relied on their sleeping bags for warmth (no one was bothered enough to turn the heater up), and to complete it all, it was storming. Rain poured against the roof, the wind caused the trees to scratch and claw at the windows and roof tiles, thunder rumbled in the sky and lightning lit up the room rhythmically. 

Miles was still awake, unable to sleep.

“It was just a prank, dude.” Peter’s words echoed in his head.

Just a prank.

Just a prank.

I sure as hell didn’t feel like it when everyone screamed. The screams were so real… Wanda’s sorrow was so real…

He could still hear it. His friends giggling echoing around him. Their terrified screams. The black figure in the corner of his eye, the glow of the candlelight, the sound of sharp claws dragging against the walls. The lack of his spider-sense.

Miles stood up and made his way into the living room. He settled on the window sill, watching the rain pour down.

**Spider Family ---> Miles Morales**

**5:32 am Spider Jr: are you awake?**

**5:35 am Queen Spider: I am.**

**5:35 am Queen Spider: Are you awake, Miles?**

**5:35 am Spider Jr: the others played a prank on me by making me think we summoned a demon and everyone died…**

**5:35 am Queen Spider: “the others”**

**5:36 am Spider Jr: literally everyone. all of the people. everyone was in on it.**

**5:36 am Spider Jr: and i know it’s silly but… idk. i just can’t get their screams out of my head…**

**5:36 am Queen Spider: Are you sure you weren’t caught by the Midnight Man too?**

**5:36 am Spider Jr: wait… how did you know it was the midnight man????**

**5:37 am Queen Spider: Miles!**

_Miles!_

** _Miles!!_ **

** **

“MILES!”

He shot up, gasping for air.

“Jesus! Are you okay?” Peter asked. The others sat around him with varying faces of worry.

“Yeah, I’m fine, I’m fine… Just a nightmare.” Miles sits up and waves Peter away. “What- augh- what time is it?”

“It’s eleven-thirty,” Gwen says. “Are you feeling okay?”

“Miles stares at the clock with wide eyes.”

_11:30 pm_ It read.

… was it all just a dream?

** _“Don’t be so quick to jump to conclusions, child.”_ **


End file.
